"Hawk Catching Salmon" Bronze Sculpture by Lorenzo E. Ghiglieri, Ed 31/35, 1976

Presented is a patinated bronze eagle by Lorenzo E. Ghiglieri. The eagle is depicted with wings outstretched, catching a salmon with one of his talons. In the reeds below, a beaver hides and watches the scene. The bronze is signed "Lorenzo E. Ghiglieri 1976 31/35," in bronze at the bottom and is mounted on a conforming mahogany base.

Lorenzo Ghiglieri (1931-2020) had a very long artistic career. Beginning as a teenager, Ghiglieri spent much of his life as an illustrator. During the Korean War and shortly afterwards, the U.S. commissioned work from Ghiglieri as a combat illustrator. He then continued on to advertisement illustration. After an exploration west, Ghiglieri dedicated the rest of his career to sculpting the American West. Known for his bald eagles, elk, and other wildlife bronzes, Lorenzo set out to capture natural beauty. His works have been gifted to some of the world’s most influential figures including England’s Queen Elizabeth II, U.S. President Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II, and Luciano Pavarotti, just to name a few. 

The bald eagle is both the national bird and the national animal of the United States. The eagle motif has been widely used throughout our nation's history, most notably as part of our Great Seal. The founders of the United States were fond of comparing their new republic with the Roman Republic, in which eagle imagery, usually the golden eagle, was prominent. On June 20, 1782, the Continental Congress adopted the design for the Great Seal of the United States depicting a bald eagle grasping 13 arrows and an olive branch with its talons. Ghilieri’s statue is inspired by the symbolic history of the bald eagle, combining the powerful natural beauty of the bird with the patriotic symbol of freedom and strength.

CONDITION:

Very good condition. Cast and patinated bronze. Signed bottom back on landscape, "Lorenzo E. Ghiglieri. 1976, 31/35." Mounted on a conforming mahogany base. Dimensions: 21 1/2" H x 17" W x 12" D.