St. Mark's Lion in a Shield Shape

Beautifully handmade sculpture in terracotta, accurtaely painted with engobes. It depicts a Venetian Lion, holding an open book. 

The winged Lion is the symbol of Venice, because the winged lion described in the book of Revelation (Rv. 4,7) was identified as being St Mark the Evangelist, buried in the main church of the city. After the Venetian “theft” of the holy relics in Alessandria in Egypt, a legend aroused in which the Saint had a dream, while he was travelling across the Venetian lagoon. An angel revealed to St Mark that his body would have come to extreme and peaceful rest in Venice. Hence, the words “Peace to you, Mark, my Evangelist” that can be read, in Latin, on the open book. The winged Lion was placed by the Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia in every town of its rich dominium.

Fired at about  1000° C, this sculpture can be hanged outdoors and won't be damaged by sun, cold or ice.