Stone lions

Lions are revered beasts that many people want to associate with and even immortalize through stone artwork. Stone lions are basically lion sculptures carved from stones. The process of carving stone lions for sale is intricate and time-consuming. It starts by selecting a suitable boulder stone and shaving off some materials to get the general outline of the lion. A sculptor will then turn to smaller chisels and sandpaper as they continue shaving off more materials while highlighting the beast's features. The process stops when the lion is well-polished and mounted on a stand.

What is the importance of buying stone lions?

Stone lion statues are found in many cultures across the planet and serve different symbolic and decorative purposes. For decorative purposes, intricately carved lions are admired for their masculine bodies. They can be bought and erected in gardens, in front of a home, over a gate, in parks, and at the entrance point of public places and offices. Stone lions, especially male lions, stand tall with thick manes around their neck, forming a good focal point or conversation starter. Some artists may go further to carve a stone lion with an open mouth, which forms an appealing sight when installed at a correct place or combined with water features such as a fountain.

Other than decorative purposes, stone lions are symbolic figures. Traditionally, stone lions were gifted to neighboring dynasties by the Persians and have served as a symbol of power for the affluent and powerful circles. Today, many people still see lion statues as a symbol of power; take the example of the Chinese stone lions or imperial guardian lions. These lions are usually crafted in pairs (male and female) and stand in front of palaces, government offices, and even at the gates of senior officials and wealthy people. The presence of a male stone lion in front of a house in many art pieces symbolized supremacy over the world. The female, on the other hand, had cubs and represented nature and nurturing. Customers can buy affordable male and female stone lions and install them in front of restaurants, hotels and supermarkets as a symbol of superiority and quality products.

Ways of crafting stone lion statues

There are two ways of hand-crafting lion statues, such as the stone lions of the Alhambra Palace. The first way is carving them from boulders. It involves removing excess material through carving, chiseling, or grinding to reveal the desired form while following a conceptualized design. As the basic form takes shape, the artist focuses on adding finer, realistic details and finalizing their work through polishing and mounting the lion on a stand.

Another way of creating stone lions is molding. Molding starts by building an armature framework. The framework is usually made from wire, wood, or metal, and it serves as the skeleton onto which the sculpting material will be added. The next step is mixing ground stone and resin and adding it layer by layer to the frame. After the initial layers have dried out, the artist turns to finer tools to refine their creations.