[poweqi]

Yes it was painted. Saw it on TLC. Magnificently computer generated.For a long time they thought the nose was shot off by Neapolians soldiers but they discovered that it was actually chisled off. By whom? Nobody knows.They also think it is much older than anyone thought.

[RightWhale]

It's old for sure. Originally it was probably an outcropping like a yarddang, some of which are very sphinx-like naturally. The head is clearly [to me anyway] chopped down from an older head. Ihe present head is very small in proportion to the lion body. The neck also looks to be chopped away from an older sloping animal neck to make it appear more humanlike.