Löwendenkmal in Luzern, Zwitserland 1863 - 1914

Curator: This striking photograph captures the Löwendenkmal, or Lion Monument, in Lucerne, Switzerland. The photograph was created sometime between 1863 and 1914 by Giorgio Sommer. The artwork itself is a sculpture carved into a sandstone rock face. Editor: It's incredibly evocative. The monochrome palette amplifies the texture of the stone. There's such a somber mood conveyed through the lion's languid posture. Curator: Indeed. The sculpture commemorates the Swiss Guards who were massacred during the French Revolution in 1792. The lion is meant to represent their bravery and sacrifice. Its dying pose can be interpreted as representing the monarchy at the time as well as the dying cries of feudalism as a political ideology. Editor: The lion’s head resting on the shield... What symbolism! This act gives a new layer of fragility to the sculpture. I wonder what it can tell us about how people thought about duty and national identity at that time. Curator: Sommer's photographic framing really emphasizes the monumentality of the sculpture. He chose his framing for a reason. Its presence looms with this historical weight—this photograph not only documents its physical being, but serves to help emphasize the role of duty during social upheavals in European society. It evokes pathos as the inscription below—"Helvetiorum Fidei ac Virtuti" or "To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss"— further drives home its purpose. Editor: And the technical mastery in capturing the marble's texture… You can see the individual strokes in the lion’s mane. The play of light and shadow gives the sculpture volume and depth. Curator: Sommer perfectly captures the romantic, yet melancholic spirit of the monument. Editor: It really does allow one to meditate on the complex intersections of the memorial as a medium that represents both sacrifice and enduring artistic expression. Curator: Yes. Thinking about how we understand such displays of power is equally relevant to interpreting what Sommer's capture of the site is trying to achieve in contemporary contexts. Editor: Beautiful, what an incredible combination of subject matter and technique to trigger these ideas!