In Chiswick House Gardens there are a number of statues, which include three stone sphinxes, positioned between the urns and the two giant Cedar of Lebanon trees, facing the easterly direction of the rising sun. There is also one of the same design but in lead, designed and mass produced by the sculptor John Cheere in 1740 and introduced to the gardens in 1742.
In the Lower Tribuna room (built in 1730) of Chiswick House, there is the lead Sphinx positioned on a plinth in this room.
A sphinx is a mythical creature with a lion’s body and a human head. The Egyptians used carved statues of them at the entrance of temples to guard the mysteries and was also adopted by the Freemasons. Lord Burlington the owner of Chiswick House was a Freemason.
For a detailed description of the influence of Freemasonry on the design of gardens and houses in Georgian England see ‘Freemasonic Symbolism and Georgian Gardens’.
John Cheere also designed the Shepherdess in Kew Gardens, see Shepherdess article for details about John Cheere.
