Architectural panel with a griffin

Griffins were monsters with the bodies of lions and the heads and wings of eagles. Ancient writers recount that in the mountains of northeastern Europe (presumably the area of modern Russia), griffins guarded abundant gold and fought off the Arimasps, one-eyed men who tried to steal their treasures. On the strength of this legend, griffins came to be considered protective beings and were often shown in sacred contexts, on temples and religious objects. This marble panel representing a griffin in relief is one of a pair in the MFA's collection. The two panels, each framed by Classical architectural moldings, originally decorated a building and feature two griffins facing in opposite directions. The beasts may once have flanked a candelabrum, reproducing a pattern seen on the frieze that wraps around the temple of Emperor Antoninus Pius and his wife, Faustina, at Rome, erected in A.D. 141 and still partly preserved. On the Boston panels, the griffins' tails metamorphose into vines sprouting massive acanthus leaves, creating a sense of nature in bloom and adding an extra touch of fantasy to these benevolent mythological monsters.