Italian, Roman, 'Crane, Python and Lizard', probably 18th century
About the work
Overview
A lizard grasps at a shrub and tries to scare off a crane, which has trapped its tail under a clawed foot. A snake twisted around a vine above joins in, its long red tongue visible as it hisses at the bird.
This is one of only two mosaics in the National Gallery’s collection as we no longer collect this type of work. It was once thought to be by a Greek artist working in the Hellenistic period (323–31 BC) but is now recognised as an eighteenth-century imitation of an ancient Roman image.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- Crane, Python and Lizard
- Artist
- Italian, Roman
- Date made
- probably 18th century
- Medium and support
- mosaic
- Dimensions
- 23.5 × 29.2 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Bequeathed by Lt.-Col. J.H. Ollney, 1836
- Inventory number
- NG2980
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
- Previous owners
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Martin Davies, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Earlier Italian Schools’, London 1986; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Bibliography
-
1951Davies, Martin, National Gallery Catalogues: The Earlier Italian Schools, London 1951
-
1986Davies, Martin, National Gallery Catalogues: The Earlier Italian Schools, revised edn, London 1986
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.
Images
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