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Lion-Shaped Mascaron

Johann (Jan) Pfister

  • Lion-Shaped Mascaron 2
  • Lion-Shaped Mascaron 3
Basic information
ID
С-II-759
Author
Johann (Jan) Pfister
Name
Lion-Shaped Mascaron
Date of creation
17th c.
Country
Ukraine
Technique
carving polychrome
Material
wood
Dimensions (height x width, cm)
45 x 25.5
Additionally
Type
sculpture
Genre
religious
Provenance
Bishche village, Berezhany district, Ternopil region
Information about author
Author
Johann (Jan) Pfister
Artist's lifetime
1573–1640/1642
Biography
Johann (Jan) Pfister was a German sculptor, born in 1573 in Breslau (now Wroclaw, Poland) in the family of the painter and sculptor George Pfister. He studied under masters from the Netherlands and Germany, namely Hans Fleiser, Friedrich Gross, and Gerhard Hendrick. Jan Pfister is considered to be the most outstanding sculptor at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries who worked in Ukraine and Poland. In his works, the sculptor used marble and alabaster rather than wood. He performed the best works in Lviv, Berezhany, and Tarnow. In 1615, at the request of Adam Hieronim Sieniawski, the sculptor began working in Berezhany on the tombstones of the noble Sieniawski family, namely Adam Hieronim and his three sons – Alexander, Mikolaj, and Prokop. Besides, Jan Pfister taught at a carving school in the town. Working as a court sculptor of the Sieniawski family, he carved the altar compositions in the Church of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin Mary in the village of Bishche in the Ternopil region that also belonged to the family. In the 1630s, he worked on the decoration of the altar. Jan Pfister proved to be a professional sculptor who took the first steps in art under the influence of German and Dutch Mannerism.
Object description
The mascaron is carved with particular attention to detail and is endowed with a distinctly pronounced emotional character. The stylised lion’s muzzle demonstrates drama and expression. The rendered features are skilfully emphasised by the play of light and shadow, producing a sense of tense dramatic effect. The carving conveys vivid mimicry – the lion’s open mouth, accentuated eyes, and wavy strands of the mane imbued with the energy of movement. Deep wrinkles, the intensity of the gaze, and the highlighted characteristic animal traits create the impression of a living, almost theatrical mask. The decorative quality of the mascaron extends beyond mere architectural ornament, serving instead as a decorative accent imbued with symbolic meaning. It functions not only as a guardian but also as an emotional emphasis, at once instilling fear and impressing with the beauty of the artist’s imagination.
Legal regulation
Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery

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