A PAIR OF MONUMENTAL STONE LIONS MING DYNASTY

the imposing pair superbly modelled as male and female beasts, each depicted resting on its haunches on a square lotus base elaborately carved with a central constricted beaded border between bands of petal lappets, chiselled with a snarling expression with its jaws open and teeth exposed, accented with flaring nostrils and bulging downcast eyes peering from below thick bushy eyebrows, adorned with a collar around the shoulder suspending a single bell at the front, the collar further adorned around the beast with tufts of tassels and tied with a beribboned knot with ends trailing down the back above its swayed bushy tail, the male depicted firmly clutching a beribboned brocade ball beneath its right front paw, the female resting her front left paw on a small cub

A private Kansai collection, by repute.

This pair of stone lions is particularly striking for the rendering of their muscular body and intricately combed mane and hair. Traditionally associated with power, stone lions of this type were used as door guardians, placed in front of a main gate or entrance. Large stone animals stem from the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) tradition of placing pairs of animals to line the spirit road leading to important tombs. The fabulous lion stood for strength and security, its decorated collar signifying its allegiance to its owner, and in the context of the Spirit Road it symbolised the power of the empire. This tradition continued until the end of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) and large stone sculptures of lions are known lining the Spirit Road at the Mausoleum of the Hongwu Emperor (1368-1398) near Nanjing, Jiangsu province, the tomb of Prince Jingfu (d. 1523) in Guilin, Guangxi province and the tomb of Prince Lu Jian (d. 1614) in Xinxiang, Henan province, illustrated in Ann Paludan, The Chinese Spirit Road, New Haven, 1991, pls. 234, 241 and 244.

A pair of larger stone lions modelled in similar poses was sold in these rooms, 8th April 2010, lot 1848. See also examples attributed to the Qing dynasty, such as a pair, from the collection of John Wannamaker, sold in our New York rooms, 23rd March 1997, lot 178; and another pair, in the Royal Ontario Museum, published in Homage to Heaven. Homage to Earth. Chinese Treasures of the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, 1992, pl. 114.