J.J. Lally & Co., Oriental Art / New York City, New York
MenuPast Exhibition
Two Thousand Years of Chinese Sculpture
March 17-29, 2008
9.
A GILT BRONZE FIGURE OF A GUARDIAN LION
Northern Qi/ Sui Dynasty, circa 575
from a Buddhist sculptural group, the stylized feline shown seated on its haunches facing straight ahead with wide staring eyes and resolute expression, with ears laid back and jaws clenched showing large teeth and with pointed fangs at the front, the head framed by a wide mane neatly fanned out to the sides and the legs accentuated with long tufts of fur behind the knees and over the thighs, the large and elegant trefoil tail rising up high in back, with fine hair markings on the tail, mane, legs and flanks, the figure solid-cast and richly gilded, with extensive bright green patination from burial.
Height 4 inches (10.3 cm)
Compare the similarly modelled small gilt bronze figure of a seated guardian lion donated to The Metropolitan Museum of Art by Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., illustrated by Priest in Chinese Sculpture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1944, pl. XXXVIII, cat. no. 21, described on p. 30, attributed by the author to late Northern Wei dynasty.
A pair of bronze seated guardian lions of this type attributed to the Sui dynasty, set at the corners of the platform base for a Buddhist votive group of three Amitabha Buddhas with two donors, is illustrated in the catalogue entitled Ancient Chinese Sculpture Gallery: The Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, 1996, no. 49.
北齊 / 隋 鎏金銅護法獅 高 10.3 厘米
