Chinese Carved Fu Lion Dog or Chimera on a Stand

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Chinese Carved Fu Lion Dog or Chimera on a Stand

OwnerOwned by James Cromar Watt (Aberdeen, Scotland, 1862 - 1940)

DateQing Dynasty, 19th century

Object NameCarving

Mediumsoapstone and wood

ClassificationsApplied Art

DimensionsOverall (Height x Width x Depth): 95 × 85 × 75mm

AcquisitionJames Cromar Watt Bequest, 1941.

CopyrightOut of copyright - CC0

LocationOn Display - Gallery 01

Object numberABDMS024912

Keywords

About MeChinese small carved blackish soapstone Fu Lion Dog or chimera with a miniature lion or dragon on its head. The dog is sitting on a carved wooden stand which has been stained a green colour.

The Fu Lion Dog is a sacred animal in Chinese culture, Known sometimes as Chinese Guardian Lions or Imperial Guardian Lions they were often placed either side of entrances to sacred temples and palaces.

Hardstone carving is a form of decorative art that has been a part of Chinese culture for over 3,000 years. This is largely due to many of the precious and semi-precious stones used, such as jade, turquoise, malachite, quartz and agate, occurring naturally in certain territories of China.

These different types of stones feature a wide variety of properties that Chinese artists were able to exploit, incorporating the natural coloration and textural qualities of the stones into their designs. Soapstone in particular has a wide colour range, from white through to almost black, depending on its composition. It is so named because of its soap like texture that derives from a 30% to 80% talc content, which also gives it its softness, making it easy to intricately carve.
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Collections Wall

The Fu Lion Dog is a sacred animal in Chinese culture and it is often placed at the entrance of temples and palaces to guard the place.

Exhibitions

Gallery 01 - Collecting Art