Pair of Guardian Lions (Kangxi, 1662-1722)

Famille Verte, Enamel on Bisquit (susancai ‘plain three colours’), Kangxi (1662-1722), 24x9cm. Excellent condition.

The Guardian Lion (stone lion or shih shih, also known in the West as ‘Fu dog’) is a widespread motif in Chinese art. As it wards off evil, a pair of these lions is placed at the entrance of temples, palaces and tombs as guardians – and can be found even today in front of private houses.
One of the lions is a male and rests his paw on a brocade ball or Buddhist Pearl. The other is a female and has a cub beneath her paw.
The bodies are glazed in yellow, green and aubergine brown.
Lions are a very popular motif in Chinese art even though they are not indigenous to the country (they were introduced via Buddhism from India). Mostly, they bare little resemblance to real lions and are usually stylized fantastical creatures with exaggerated features. Traditionally, they were seen as protectors of Buddhist wisdom and, therefore, can be seen as guardian statues in front of buildings and temples.

Susancai ("soft/plain/simple three color glaze") glazes are generally applied directly on biscuit fired (unglazed) porcelain. The style (re-)appeared during the end of the Ming dynasty and was at its most popular during the Kangxi (1662-1722) reign. The decoration is based upon the Tang dynasty (618-906) sancai ('three color') decoration made by copper, iron and cobalt oxide colored lead glazes applied on earthenware.

Similar pairs of biscuit lions are published in: Vanderven “Susancai: Enamel on Biscuit” 2015, p.46-47. There is also a pair in Östasiatika Museet, Stockholm (Acc nr OM-1992-0040)