Highlights
Death on the lion
- Artist
- –
- Locality
- Central Franconia
- Date
- 1513
- Material
- Limewood, iron, traces of polychromy
- Dimensions
- H. 143.5 cm
- Location
- Saal 15
- Inventory Number
- MA 3450
- Acquisition
- Assigned from the former convent at Heilsbronn in 1866
- Epoch
- Gothic
Description
This figure once was the crowning feature of a monumental clock which originally stood in the church choir of Heilsbronn Abbey. On the hour, with a bone, Death struck the bell in the lion's neck, reminding the faithful of the transience of all earthly things. Remains of the iron mechanism that once controlled the movement of Death's jaw and right arm as well as the lion's tongue have been preserved inside the figure.