Lion Eyes: Fierce Facades

When it comes to architectural adornment and ornamentation, whether your house was designed by McKim, Mead & White during the Gilded Age or by Bill the Builder last week, the animal figure most likely to be featured is the majestic Lion, followed by the regal Eagle. Lions in various guises can be found on apartment buildings and church facades, sitting on window lintels, perched on attic storeys and roofs, and as vigilant guardians perched on stoops. Now, of course most are mass-produced, generic molds that the architect or homeowner can select from a catalog, but some are sui generis, displaying a level of craftsmanship that rises to the level of art.

Whether tradition or superstition, the practice dates back to the ancient world in places like Egypt, Rome and Greece, where the colossal Terrace of the Lions demonstrates the respect assigned to the Big Cats. 

Putting a pair of Lions on your stoop likely has its origins in an attempt by property owners to scare off intruders, or maybe just class up the place. Based on indisputable visual evidence, the ferocious, scowling Lion is indeed still King wherever the animal kingdom is represented.