A Pair of Sphinxes

An imposing pair of carved stone sphinxes, reclining with paws extended in front on a rectangular base, wearing the nemes-headdress, are very similar to the Ancient Egyptian concept.

These sphinxes and their comparable pieces in the park of Schloss Glienicke, are very close in design to the sphinx that Johann Gottfried Schadow created in 1791 for the Friedrichsbrücke near Schloss Monbijou, Berlin. The placement of contemporary sphinxes and other sculptures after ancient Egyptian examples in the Neuen Garten, Potsdam goes back to King Frederick Wilhelm II. of Prussia (1786-1797). This pair of sphinxes can clearly be attributed to the above mentioned group of sculptures in Berlin and Potsdam and are a fine example of the neoclassicism in Prussia.

This pair was exhibited in the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, Cologne, 2009-2010, ”Mit Napoleon in Ägypten”, and published in the exhibition catalogue.