The Etruscans were among the finest bronze casters in antiquity. Perhaps the most famous of their surviving bronze productions is the bristling Chimaera, now in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Florence. Dated to around the 4th century B.C., this magnificent and fantastical beast was discovered at Arezzo in 1554 and was mentioned by the Renaissance master sculptor Benvenuto Cellini in his autobiography. The clawed, leonine feet of the creature provide an interesting comparison with our bronze, both in terms of the modelling of its anatomical details and the quality of the cast, which is perhaps even more impressive when executed on this diminutive scale.

Ancient Etruria was rich in mineral ores, agricultural resources, and timber. As such, they were a wealthy and advanced civilisation. The Etruscans were greatly influenced by the ancient Greeks who were a contemporary civilisation, but they had their own distinctive character, which in turn influenced the neighbouring Italian peoples, including the Romans. This foot would have most likely decorated a highly ornamental bronze 'Cista' (toiletries box), which were often held off the ground by lion paw feet.