id: 110240 accession number: 1928.861 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1928.861 updated: 2020-11-14 10:00:33.108000 Guardian Griffin (pair), 1150-1175. Northern Italy, Emilia, 12th century. Pink limestone (called "Verona Marble"); overall: 75.9 x 50.2 x 120.7 cm (29 7/8 x 19 3/4 x 47 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust 1928.861 title: Guardian Griffin (pair) title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: 1150-1175 creation date earliest: 1150 creation date latest: 1175 current location: 106B Romanesque & Gothic Sculpture creditline: Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust copyright: --- culture: Northern Italy, Emilia, 12th century technique: pink limestone (called "Verona Marble") department: Medieval Art collection: MED - Romanesque type: Sculpture find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: Overall: 75.9 x 50.2 x 120.7 cm (29 7/8 x 19 3/4 x 47 1/2 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens, Wonders opening date: 2019-07-07T04:00:00 Medieval Monsters: Terrors, Aliens, Wonders. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (July 7-October 6, 2019). --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE said to have come from the residence of a Cardinal Leona, east of Bologna. date: footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: According to medieval bestiaries, griffins could tear a man to pieces and carry a whole bovine away, as seen here. digital description: wall description: Griffins are fabled creatures that have the characteristics of an eagle and a lion—combining watchfulness and courage. In Christian art, the dual nature of the griffin was often used to signify that of Christ himself: divine (bird) and human (animal). Griffins were often used as guardian figures in church sculpture and were placed in portals and choir screens. The creatures seen here, with their inward-turning heads, were certainly used for such a purpose. When viewed from the front, one griffin may be seen clutching the figure of a knight between its paws, while the other griffin holds a calf. Their original function was probably to support the columns of a porch in front of a church doorway. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. page number: Reproduced: p. 56 url: https://archive.org/details/CMAHandbook1978/page/n76 --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1928.861/1928.861_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1928.861/1928.861_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1928.861/1928.861_full.tif