Carving commemorates Swiss bravery in 1792

Q. This wooden plaque of a lion was left to me among my father’s estate. I don’t remember my father ever talking about it, or even seeing it around when he was alive, so it is a bit of a curiosity. It measures 14.5 centimetres wide and 19 cm high (5.75 by 7.5 inches). It’s hand-carved in three dimensions. The back is plain and gives no clues as to its origins. I doubt it has any real value but I’m curious about what it might mean and how it might have been made. Jane, Baden

A. I suspect your father might have enjoyed Latin with a Swiss friend who gifted it to him. Your carving represents an actual monument. ‘Helvetiorum Fidei ac Virtuti’ — “To the Loyalty and Bravery of the Swiss” — pays homage to the more 750 Swiss guards who died in 1792 guarding the Tuileries Palace in Paris during the French Revolution. The lion covers one shield bearing the fleur-de-lis of the French monarchy and lies beside another shield bearing the coat of arms of Switzerland. The 10-metre-wide rock monument carved into a cliff face got its initiative from a surviving guard member who was on leave at the time of the attack. Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen designed it. Quality wood carvings are often erroneously attributed to the Black Forest region of Germany. This idea has been refuted and they are now credited to carvers of the Brienz School for Woodcarving, in Switzerland. This is likely one of their handcarved products and they are revered by collectors. It’s a fine example done around 1900 and will command $175.