Le voyage des motifs. I. Le trône aux lions et la porte aux lions

A Japanese embroidery of the 8th century represents Buddha being seated on a throne with two lions at right and left sides. This buddhist theme is often seen in China and came from India and Gandhāra, where it had appeared about the beginning of our Era. But its origin seems older: a Mesopotamian statue dating from the 3rd millenary and an Anatolian little figure from the 6th millenary represent the Great Goddess on a seat flanked by two lions (or panthers). The small statue from Anatolia is probably the archetype of Cybelia, the Mother- Goddess which was adopted and worshipped by Romans. Therefore the Oriental lions throne was introduced in Europe. At least from the 9th century, it was the seat of kings and saints. In the Middle Age, we can see in Italia bishops chairs adorned with two lions. The theme of the lions gate appeared in the Near East around the 19th- 18th centuries B. C. Then it passed to Greece and Turkey. From that crossroads, this subject spread towards both East and West. In india, lions couples are guardians of stûpa; in China, they protect tombs, temples and palaces; in Japan, they swarm in shintoist shrines. In Europe, guardians- lions are seen since Roman period. Then they are frequent at the gates of Romanesque churches, in Italia, in France, in Spain and even in Scandinavia. The royal couple stands also in front of secular monuments as Italian villas or French castles. Lastly, the theme of lions gate is not rare in the streets of Paris, at the entrance of buildings dating from 19th and 20th centuries.