Turk on Horseback Attacked by a Lion
cast mid-1630s
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
height: 21.5 cm (8 7/16 in.)
Classification
Sculpture
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Robert H. Smith/Robert H. Smith Collection
Accession Number
2022.181.72
Art Historical Context
Francesco Fanelli’s “Turk on Horseback Attacked by a Lion,” cast in bronze in the-1630s, captures a moment of intense drama in miniature form. The small sculpture, measuring just over eight inches in height, depicts a mounted figure in Eastern attire struggling against a ferocious lion that has leapt onto the horse. The dynamic composition, with rearing animal and twisting rider, draws the viewer into the struggle while showcasing Fanelli’s ability to convey motion and tension within a compact scale. Active in England during the reign of Charles I, Fanelli was an Italian-born sculptor celebra...