TANG DYNASTY (618-907)

Details

A MARBLE FIGURE OF A SEATED LION
TANG DYNASTY (618-907)
The ferocious muscular animal is carved seated on its haunches on a square base, its powerful forelegs stretched before it. Its head facing forward, bulging eyes, and fangs protruding from the mouth.
7 1⁄8 in. (18.2 cm.) high

Provenance

Kochukyo, Tokyo, acquired by he current owner in February 1990

Conditions of sale

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Lot Essay

A number of examples of stone and ceramic lions, a potent symbol of the majesty and strength of the Tang, have survived. It has been suggested that the present example may originate from Dingzhou, Hebei Province. Cf. another marble sculpture of a lion in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, Kansas City, illustrated in the Handbook of the Collection, vol. 2, p. 38, and by John Hay, Masterpieces of Chinese Art, pl. 2. Another similar lion is illustrated by Shen Zhiyu, ed., The Shanghai Museum of Art, no. 174. A limestone lion head with a similar expression was included by Eskenazi in his exhibition Ancient Chinese Sculpture, 1978, Catalogue, no. 23.

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