http://collections.mfa.org/internal/media/dispatcher/981895/resize%3Aformat%3DfullStatue of a seated lion570–550 B.C.Limestone (originally coated with smooth plaster and painted)This lion sits on its back legs and turns its head outwards towards the viewer, opening its mouth in a roar. While the detailed musculature and anatomy of the lion are rendered rather realistically, the hair is stylized, framing the face with flame-like locks. Along the back of the lion’s head and its haunches, the hair is rendered in braided rows. The lion is seated on a plinth that would have once been placed atop a tall support, marking a grave. In its original state, the lion would also have been brightly painted, making it an effective and eye-catching monument. Positioned above ground level, the ferocious animal could both guard the deceased and, if commemorating a fallen soldier, evoke a memory of his strength and power.Sculpture123.5077470155 Centimeter95.3000000000 Centimeter12.7000254001 Centimeterhttp://collections.mfa.org/objects/151017/rdf