A magnificent and exceptionally rare stone Lion, Song dynasty | 宋 石雕坐獅

This Lot has been withdrawn from the sale.請注意此拍品已撤拍

This well-carved sculpture is notable for its impressive size, aesthetic qualities and spiritual presence. Stone lions of this remarkable dimension are exceptionally rare in private or public collections, although similar sculptures of even larger size are known in situ at imperial Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) mausoleums. The present lion sculpture is sensitively rendered, with its mane skilfully carved with tight curls, the muscular body exuding the animal’s powerful nature, while its allegiance is indicated through its seated position and the collar it is wearing on its neck.

To provide protection in the spiritual world and symbolise the power of the empire, large, carved stone lions were placed at important tombs as guardians, where pairs of such sculptures protected the four gateways to the tombs. See, for example, a female lion figure similarly depicted with its mouth closed as the present animal, seated at the south gate of the mausoleum of Tang Emperor Xuanzong (r. 712-56), the corresponding male lion rendered with its mouth open, both illustrated in Ann Paludan, The Chinese Spirit Road: The Classical Tradition of Stone Tomb Statuary, New Haven, 1991, figs 151 and 150.

In addition to their placement along the spirit roads leading to the imperial tombs, lions also appear in Buddhist contexts. The earliest anthropomorphic images of the Buddha from Mathura in northern India, and from Gandhara in Pakistan, are often flanked by pairs of lions. A symbol of royalty and power in India, the two lions represent the royal origins of the Buddha and are emblematic of his immense spiritual power. Such interpretation was integrated into Chinese iconography as Buddhism spread throughout China, and the animal was used to flank the Buddha and to protect the entrance of temples and sacred spaces.

The tamed representation of this lion reflects an important change in perception of the relationship between nature and man in China. Previously, as seen on Han (206 BC – AD 220) statuary, animals were often depicted in unrestrained stances or in prowling positions, intending to illustrate their unbridled strength. However, since the Tang dynasty this notion was gradually replaced by an affirmation of man’s dominion over the natural world, as evidenced by lions being rendered in a more domesticated position. A stone lion (illustrated ibid., fig. 170) guarding the imperial tomb of the Song Emperor Shenzong (r. 1067-85), for example, was rendered with a collar and chain on its muscular body, emphasising the power of man.