Great Lyre is a bronze sculpture that forms part of John Dreyfuss’s long-term exploration of vessel-like forms and their symbolic potential. Drawing inspiration from sources ranging from Mesopotamian reliefs and Cycladic tools to animal forms and modern armaments, the work reflects an ongoing investigation into shape, material strength, and the interaction of light across sculpted surfaces. As the largest example in Dreyfuss’s lyre series, the sculpture reinterprets the ancient instrument not only for its artistic and metaphysical associations but also as a way of viewing a ritual vessel in cross-section. John Dreyfuss is an American sculptor who trained in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and the Harvard Graduate School of Design before turning exclusively to sculpture. He refined his skills in metal-chasing and mold-making at Tallix Foundry in New York and worked with the sculpture design team at Warren Platner Studio. Since establishing his own studio in Washington, DC, Dreyfuss has produced numerous public and private commissions across the United States and internationally, with works held in prominent public institutions.