A GILT-BRONZE SPHINX URN

THIS DESIGN IS BY CLAUDE BALLIN (1615-1678), AND IS ONE OF A PAIR. THE ORIGINAL IS PART OF A SET OF THIRTEEN PAIRS, DESIGNED FOR LOUIS XIV'S FORMAL TERRACED GARDEN'S AT VERSAILLES, THE PARTERRE DU NORD AND THE PARTERRE DU MIDI, CAST BETWEEN 1660 AND 1680.