The marble lions, Patience and Fortitude, flanking the entrance to The New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building are familiar and beloved icons for New Yorkers and visitors to the city. They were modeled by sculptor Edward Clark Potter and carved from pink Tennessee marble by the Piccirilli brothers in 1911, the same year the Carrère and Hastings Beaux-Arts building opened to the public. The Lions’ best-known nicknames are credited to Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, who told a reporter, ”The people of this city have two cardinal virtues, Patience and Fortitude.’

One of these iconic lions can now make its home in your library. 

Pair with the Library Lion Patience Sculpture.

**Please note: there may be slight variations in color in Lion Sculptures.**

Exclusive to NYPL

Product: Single Lion Sculpture with “Fortitude” carved on the base

Material: Hand-cast in a durable blend of marble powder and museum-quality resin with a non-skid pad to protect furniture

Dim: 6” x 3” x 6”

Item Number: FRL22