The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 19, 2025

Lion's Head

500–400 BCE

Greece

terracotta
Overall: 24.3 cm (9 9/16 in.)
The A. W. Ellenberger, Sr., Endowment Fund 1927.27
Location: 102C Greek

Did You Know?

Lions once roamed the lands around ancient Greece but were probably extinct in the region by the 2nd century BCE.

Description

This terracotta sculpture is molded in the shape of a lion’s head. The lion opens its mouth and lolls out its tongue, showing off large upper and lower incisors (broken on one side). A mane spreads out around the lion’s head, framing the face. Lion heads like this one often served as architectural decoration.
  • The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 21 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. Reproduced: p. 21 archive.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 24 archive.org
  • {{cite web|title=Lion's Head|url=false|author=|year=500–400 BCE|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1927.27