id: 110242 accession number: 1928.861.2 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1928.861.2 updated: 2023-04-01 11:07:48.633000 Guardian Griffin, 1150–1175. Northern Italy, Emilia, 12th century. Pink limestone (called "Verona Marble"); overall: 76.7 x 47.3 x 119.9 cm (30 3/16 x 18 5/8 x 47 3/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1928.861.2 title: Guardian Griffin 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: Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 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: 76.7 x 47.3 x 119.9 cm (30 3/16 x 18 5/8 x 47 3/16 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 * CMA 1991: "Object Lessons: Cleveland Creates an Art Museum (Cleveland, OH, The Clevleland Museum of Art), cat. p. no. 25. --- PROVENANCE said to have come from the residence of a Cardinal Leona, east of Bologna. date: footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: 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 protecting the figure of a knight between its paws, while the other griffin guards a calf. Their original function was probably to support the columns of a porch in front of a church doorway. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1928.861.2/1928.861.2_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1928.861.2/1928.861.2_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1928.861.2/1928.861.2_full.tif