Medici lions

The Medici lions are a pair of marble sculptures at the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence, Italy, each resting one front paw on a sphere. Both animals sit upright with powerful bodies and flowing manes, gazing in different directions and framing the entrance steps of the open gallery.

The first guardian was made in the 2nd century BC as a Roman work and later entered the family collection. Flaminio Vacca created the second piece in 1594 to form a matching entrance pair that has remained in this location ever since.

Visitors often notice the different surface texture of the two guardians, since one comes from ancient Rome and the other from the late Renaissance. The left figure shows a resting animal with closed mouth, while the right presents a watchful one with open jaws, creating a dialogue between them.

The figures stand freely accessible right at the entrance of the open hall, allowing close viewing at any time. Natural daylight shifts throughout the day and brings out different details in the stonework, especially in the morning and late afternoon.

Copies of these guardian figures appear in over thirty locations worldwide, including bronze versions at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The different age of the two originals shows in subtle differences in hair carving and patina that only become clear upon close observation.