Ashurnasipal II: Human-Headed Winged Lion
Audrey Pfeifer
Artwork: Human–headed winged lion (Lamassu); 883–859 B.C.; Neo–Assyrian period, reign of Ashurnasirpal II; Excavated at Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), northern
Mesopotamia; Alabaster (gypsum); H. 10 ft. 3 1/2 in.
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1
Audrey Pfeifer
ART 111
Professor Scheriff
13th November 2014
Ashurnasipal II – Human-headed Winged Lion (Lamassu)
Ashunasipal II was one of the great, if not the greatest, king of Assyria and ruled from 883-859 B.C.E.. He was one of the earliest conquers of Assyria and he gained territory as far west as the Mediterranean. After he gained the land of Assyria, he turned ancient Kalhu into Nimrund, which he then made the capital. This capital was about 900 acres surrounded by a mud-brick wall. The wall was 42 feet high, …show more content…
Each curl of the beard is much like a pattern but is extremely intricate, the feathers on the wings resemble feathers but remain to look much like a patter as well. The feathers look very much as if they were the same one that was just twisted and turned, and shrunk and enlarged to make a full wing.
The faces were designed very traditionally. There is a slight archaic smile on both the creatures faces. They are both wearing a horned hat that was common for gods and kings to be shown wearing. The faces are the quintessential faces for all ancient near east artwork. They were designed with a total of five legs. This does not mean that the animal has five legs but people from the ancient near east would depict things for the way they were. If one were to view a lion or a horse from the front it would seem to only have two legs, where if it were walking and one saw it from a profile perspective it would appear to actually have four. They did this with people too. People were shown to with all their features, their face was at a profile perspective where their eyes were head on, their waists were twisted to view them from the front but their feet were twisted to the
Artwork: Human–headed winged lion (Lamassu); 883–859 B.C.; Neo–Assyrian period, reign of Ashurnasirpal II; Excavated at Nimrud (ancient Kalhu), northern
Mesopotamia; Alabaster (gypsum); H. 10 ft. 3 1/2 in.
!
1
Audrey Pfeifer
ART 111
Professor Scheriff
13th November 2014
Ashurnasipal II – Human-headed Winged Lion (Lamassu)
Ashunasipal II was one of the great, if not the greatest, king of Assyria and ruled from 883-859 B.C.E.. He was one of the earliest conquers of Assyria and he gained territory as far west as the Mediterranean. After he gained the land of Assyria, he turned ancient Kalhu into Nimrund, which he then made the capital. This capital was about 900 acres surrounded by a mud-brick wall. The wall was 42 feet high, …show more content…
Each curl of the beard is much like a pattern but is extremely intricate, the feathers on the wings resemble feathers but remain to look much like a patter as well. The feathers look very much as if they were the same one that was just twisted and turned, and shrunk and enlarged to make a full wing.
The faces were designed very traditionally. There is a slight archaic smile on both the creatures faces. They are both wearing a horned hat that was common for gods and kings to be shown wearing. The faces are the quintessential faces for all ancient near east artwork. They were designed with a total of five legs. This does not mean that the animal has five legs but people from the ancient near east would depict things for the way they were. If one were to view a lion or a horse from the front it would seem to only have two legs, where if it were walking and one saw it from a profile perspective it would appear to actually have four. They did this with people too. People were shown to with all their features, their face was at a profile perspective where their eyes were head on, their waists were twisted to view them from the front but their feet were twisted to the