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An Exquisite Carved Wood Plaque of the Lion of Luc

Currency:USD Category:Antiques Start Price:100.00 USD Estimated At:750.00 - 1,500.00 USD
An Exquisite Carved Wood Plaque of the Lion of Luc
An Exquisite Carved Wood Plaque of the Lion of Lucerne, singed "K" and "909" on back. This carving is a model of the Lion of Lucerne depicted in a recumbent pose lying on a shield having a Latin inscription "HELVETICRUM FIDEL AC VIRTUTI" translated to "To the loyalty and bravery of the Swiss" and "DIE X AUGUSTI II ET II SEPTEMBRIS MDCCXCII" The background for this monument, one of Thorvaldsen’s most famous works internationally, is an historical event that took place during the French Revolution, when Thorvaldsen himself was still a young man living in Copenhagen. On August 10, 1792, the 1100 man strong Swiss Guard regiment protecting the Tuileries, a palace of King Louis XVI in Paris, was defeated when the palace was stormed by Revolutionary forces. In practice, the Swiss Guards were professional mercenaries, who in this case were in the employ of the French monarchy. The storming of the Tuileries led to a massacre of the guards, who ultimately surrendered their weapons, reportedly on the orders of the king. Of the Swiss Guards who survived the storming, many were killed soon afterwards, some directly by the mob; others were hauled before a military tribunal of the Legislative Assembly, and then hanged on September 2 and 3. All in all, approximately 650 Swiss Guards were killed during the Tuileries raid on August 10, and approximately 200 more were hanged subsequently. Only about a fifth of the regiment survived. Estimated more than 75 yrs. old. Size and/or Weight: See Measurement Photo. (Photos Represent The Lot Condition, Pangaea Auctions)