A Grand Tour Bronze of an Assyrian Lamassu

A finely cast late-19th-century Grand Tour bronze model of an Assyrian lamassu, the protective winged bull with a human head mounted on its original polished black stone base. Rendered after the monumental guardian figures excavated at Khorsabad and Nimrud in the mid-19th century and publicised widely following their display in the British Museum, this model reflects the period’s fascination with Near Eastern archaeology and the rediscovery of Mesopotamian palatial sculpture.

The casting is sharp and confident: note the meticulously tiered wings, plaited beard, ribbed head-dress, and the characteristic five-legged stride condensed here into a compact standing pose. The surface retains a rich brown patina with subtle golden and green undertones, typical of quality late-Victorian foundry work emulating ancient bronzes.

Models of lamassu were produced for scholars, travellers, and collectors inspired by Layard’s excavations and the broader Assyriomania that swept Europe in the second half of the 19th century.