Wells Fargo Building Painted Cast Iron Winged Mountain Lion Grotesque, c. 1900

A striking and uncommon circa 1900 painted cast iron winged California mountain lion and bighorn sheep motif grotesque (aka gargoyle) believed to be from a Wells Fargo bank building in San Francisco, California. Architectural grotesques—very similar to gargoyles, though without a downspout—have warded off evil while protecting buildings since they gained widespread popularity in Europe during the Middle Ages. This fantastic chimera grotesque features a majestically-winged mountain lion (also known as a cougar, panther, or puma depending upon region) surveying its domain. It calls to mind a griffin, and sits above a trio of bighorn sheep ram heads that support the highly detailed cornice. The choice of these particular big game animals puts a delightful and uncommon California wildlife spin on the typical design that’s quite fitting for its building’s San Francisco location. The winged mountain lion in particular is something that we’ve not found elsewhere, though it does bring to mind the iconic winged Lion of Saint Mark, the symbol of Venice seen incorporated in architecture throughout the city. Authentic antique character is on handsome display, with three layers of paint visible: taupe over peachy tan on top of a silver base coat that resembles bare metal. The naturally acquired wear and varied finish actually serves to highlight and complement the grotesque’s desirable design. Three approximately .25 inch mounting pins on the bottom mean that in order for it to be displayed upright, we’d recommend a sturdy stand or custom base for it to stand in. And we emphasize the word sturdy, as this piece weighs a substantial 19.5 pounds. We’ve reached out to the Wells Fargo Museum in downtown San Francisco to request additional information regarding the specific bank building from which this piece originated—especially with the hope of finding archival images of it in situ—and will update this listing with any new information if and when we receive it.