Door Pull in the Form of a Lion's Head c. 1500

Editor: Here we have an intriguing bronze sculpture, dating back to around 1500. It's a door pull shaped like a lion's head. What strikes me is how fierce, yet stylized, it seems. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This lion's head offers a fascinating entry point into Renaissance ideas of power and control, literally guarding entrances. Think about how the lion, often a symbol of strength and nobility, is positioned here. Do you see how it mediates between public and private spheres? How do you think this object speaks to the dynamics of class and access during this era? Editor: That’s interesting, I hadn’t thought about it that way. The lion as a gatekeeper...so only certain people could ‘access’ the power it represents, depending on who it guards? Curator: Exactly. And consider the material. Bronze wasn’t accessible to everyone. This door pull announces something about the person, family, or institution behind that door. It's about projecting authority and status. The performative aspect of entrance matters. What do you make of the contrast between the decorative detail and its practical function? Editor: I suppose it merges form and function into one…sort of announcing 'power and wealth lives here’ while also being useful? But do you think everyday people thought of that at the time? Or did it mostly impress other wealthy people? Curator: I think that's key, considering who these visual statements were intended for within specific social and economic power structures. Also, where does it position us, today? Editor: Right, looking at it now we can trace those power dynamics, and how symbols change meaning across time. Curator: Precisely. And art like this helps us to unpack those shifts and critically reflect on the visual languages that continue to shape our world.