CHINA, TANG DYNASTY (AD 618-907)

In contrast to the earlier stylized and geometric representations of animals in the Han dynasty (206 BC- AD 220), the artists of the Tang dynasty imbued their depictions of animals with naturalistic qualities. In few other cases is this shift more evident than in the sculptures of lions, which in the Tang dynasty become important guardian figures and symbols of imperial prestige and power. The Tang emperors greatly expanded the borders of their realm, and through trade and tributary alliances, their sphere of influence was greater than any other previous dynasty. Lions were said to have been among the gifts of tribute to the Tang emperors, and their form was closely studied in both painting and sculpture. The powerful, muscular body and the ferocious expression of the present figure are hallmarks of Tang sculptural vitality and naturalism.