Lion

In the early twentieth century, Woodmere's founder, Charles Knox Smith, acquired this hollow cast-iron lion for the building’s grounds. American industrialists like Smith ornamented their gardens in imitation of European palaces, which incorporated ancient Greek and Roman statuary as a sign of sophistication. The lion sleeps amid the velvety foliage of a plant known as lamb’s ears. We hope to evoke a passage from Isaiah 11:6, often paraphrased as “the lion and the lamb,” a symbol for the kingdom where ferocious beasts such as the lion live peacefully with gentle animals like the lamb. A curious bronze cat by artist Linda Brenner also inhabits the peaceable kingdom of this entrance garden.

If you are on-site at Woodmere Art Museum and are looking for an immersive and interactive experience, click here to view the WOW Interactive Map.

We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. We invite you to share your ideas, knowledge, and stories as they relate to the art in our collection. Contact us here.

Please note that work by this particular artist might not be on view when you visit.
Don’t worry—we have plenty of exhibitions for you to explore.