Whenever the Bavarian Minister President is expecting an important guest, he always presents them with a gift. One of the most popular gifts is this majestic lion by Ernst Andreas Rauch. In 1948 the famous artist, who was also responsible for the Karl Valentin Monument on the Viktualienmarkt square in Munich, designed a strictly heraldic sculpture with the Bavarian heraldic animal. With a staggering height of 39 centimetres, the slender animal is stretching out towards us, its jaws open in a moderate roar. He is elegantly holding the blue and white escutcheon under his right paw.