NEPAL, 15TH CENTURY

The present figure represents a mythical winged lion. Lions serve diverse symbolism in Nepal, widely considered royalty, guardian and power figures in both Hinduism and Buddhism. In Buddhism, they are also symbolic of the bodhisattvas, or Buddha’s lions, and recall Buddha himself, who was born a member of the Sakya (“lion”) clan. Larger lion monuments, in a similar style to the present example, can be found outside temples and monasteries throughout Kathmandu Valley. Mythical winged lions like the present example are also found on Nepalese coins dating to as early as Licchavi dynastic ruler Amshuvarman’s reign (c. 605-621 CE). Compare the present figure to a later, but similarly portable, bronze figure of a winged lion at the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco (acc. no. B60S246).