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Open 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Visit
Open today 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Admission is always free

6th and Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20565

Sculpture Garden Extended Hours

Open late until 8:00 p.m. on select nights
Starting June 3
Exhibitions & Events
Featured event:

Block Party
Join us June 6
Art & Artists
Open Call

Artists Reimagining the Collection
Meet the 50 makers selected from more than 1,600 submissions

Turk on Horseback Attacked by a Lion

cast mid-1630s

Francesco Fanelli

Associated Names

Francesco Fanelli

Artist, Italian, active 1608/1665

The sculpture depicts a scene of a man on horseback confronting a lion. The man is wielding a curved sword, poised to strike the lion, which is rearing up against the horse. A dog is also present in the scene. The entire piece is crafted from a dark-colored material, possibly bronze. It sits on a rectangular base with a golden hue. The intricate details include the man's clothing, the texture of the horse's mane, and the muscular form of the lion. The figures convey motion and drama through their varied postures and expressions.

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Artwork overview

Medium

bronze
Credit Line

Gift of Robert H. Smith/Robert H. Smith Collection
Dimensions

height: 21.5 cm (8 7/16 in.)
Accession Number

2022.181.72

Artwork history & notes

Bibliography

2015

Schmidt, Eike D., et al. Bronze, Boxwood, and Ivory in the Robert H. Smith Collection of Renaissance Sculpture. London, 2015: 2, 38-41, repro. no. 72, inside back cover.

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