Lion Rampant

Contributed by William Morris Gallery

This tile panel was designed by William De Morgan, the leading ceramicist of the Arts and Crafts movement. The panel is made up of 42 tiles and depicts a rearing lion painted in bold enamel colours. The lion is highly stylised with a large clawed paws and a sun-ray mane. The design demonstrates De Morgan's admiration for the ceramics of the Islamic Middle East. The image of an aggressive lion has a long history in the decorative arts of Persia and Turkey as a symbol of power. Similarly, in Western Europe the lion had historical associations with royalty, heraldry and authority. Elaborate mural panels of this type were commissioned from De Morgan for the decoration of Tsar Alexander II's yacht Livadia and for several P&O liners.

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1890

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