Provenance:
- Private Collection, Paris 2023
Condition Report Available
Price on request
This object can be viewed in our gallery.
A pair of very unusual enamel on biscuit porcelain wall vases, in the shape of lion dogs viewed from the side. Made as pendants, one has its head turned to the right, the other to the left. They each have a raised front paw, two standing paws and a paw which is just visible under the belly - creating an optical illusion of a fourth leg we cannot see. They both have two apertures in the top, one on the head and another slightly smaller one on their hindquarters. They are glazed in the distinctive tri-colour sancai palette of yellow, green and aubergine-brown. The backs are unglazed with an opening for hanging.
This type of lion dog is a very popular motif, often recurring in Chinese art. They are also referred to as Fo Dogs or Buddhist Lions (shizhi). They bear little resemblance to real lions, as they are stylized as fantastical creatures with exaggerated features. From the Ming dynasty onwards, they steadily take on a more dog-like appearance, with bulging eyes, a pug-like face and short bushy tail. Allegedly, even Pekinese pugs were bred to look like them. Lion dogs are generally associated with Buddhism, as legend has it that Buddha once entered a temple and instructed his two accompanying lions to wait outside - which they did dutifully. This is said to be the reason that lions are found at the gates of Buddhist temples and entrances of sacred halls – symbols of guardianship and wisdom.
Wall vases first occur from the Wanli period (1573-1620) onwards and were favoured by the Chinese literati for in their scholar’s studio. The unusual shape, with a rounded contour on the front and a flattened back, ensured it could hang flush against the wall; flowers or joss sticks could be placed in the opening in the top. They were particularly practical vases, as they could be used where there was limited space – which also made them suitable for hanging in sedan chairs.
We have found no similar shaped vases, but there is a group of enamel on biscuit wall-vases in the Burrell Collection, Glasgow (acc.nr. 38.1003- 38.1007). The Asian Art Museum, San Francisco has an early underglaze blue wall-vase (acc.nr. B69P111L).
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