China, 618-907. Naturalistically and powerfully carved seated on its hind legs, the beast’s forepaws supporting its strong body, the ferocious expression defined by the wide open mouth with bared fangs and lolling tongue, the mane arranged in neatly detailed curls.

Provenance: Bluett and Sons, London, acquired from Galinsky on 3 July 1958. The Cunliffe Collection, no. NN2, acquired from the above on 9 July 1958, and thence by descent. Bonhams London, 12 May 2016, lot 16, sold for GBP 36,250 or approx. EUR 65,500 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Jules Speelman, London, United Kingdom, acquired from the above. Bluett & Sons was an important dealer of Chinese works of art, founded by brothers Leonard and Edgar Bluett and later continued by Leonard’s son Roger Bluett, who was president of the British Antique Dealers’ Association, of which his father and uncle were founding members in 1919. Roger Bluett was also Chairman of the Grosvenor House Antiques, first Chairman of the ceramics course at West Dean and first Chairman of the Museum of East Asian Art, Bath. Rolf, Lord Cunliffe (1899–1963) was a distinguished English collector of Chinese ceramics and works of art, acquiring most pieces from established English and European collections. Living near renowned dealers Bluett and Sons and John Sparks in London, he made his first purchase from Bluett in 1944 and went on to acquire over 400 pieces over the next two decades. His collection required special storage, even extending to his bathroom, where collectors like the King of Sweden would discuss jade rhytons and Junyao bowls. A member of the Oriental Ceramic Society from 1946, he later served as Honorary Keeper of the Oriental Department at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (1960). His close ties with the Society led to several exhibitions of his collection.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Expected wear, traces of weathering, encrustations, structural fissures, scratches, nicks, old repairs to the base and front legs with associated minor fills and touchups. All as expected for an authentic stone lion from the Tang dynasty.

Weight: 2,877 g
Dimensions: Height 19 cm

The lion is well represented in Buddhist art of the Tang dynasty. Its roar was said to represent the dissemination of the Buddhist scriptures. In their role as guardian figures, lions can be found not only lining spirit roads which lead to Imperial tombs, but also in pairs in tombs, such as the pair of small marble lions found guarding the front room of the underground hoard of Buddhist relics at the Famen Temple. See Famen Temple, Shanxi, 1990, pp. 164-167. This figure is stylistically similar to other stone lions of Tang date that are also seated on a plinth, some with their head turned, some with their mouth open.

This piece marks an important stylistic shift from the more abstract depictions of lions of the preceding Northern Qi and Sui dynasties, and displays the vigorousness and boldness characteristic of Tang sculptures. The Tang dynasty saw an unprecedented flowering of the arts, resulting from political and military stability and a general openness to foreign trade. Lions were among the most prized tributary items presented to the Tang court by emissaries from the western regions of India and Central Asia. After receiving a lion as tribute from Samarkand in 635, Emperor Taizong (598-649) is recorded to have commissioned a poem in its honor from the court poet Yu Shinan (558-638). Lions were also sent from Samarkand, Khotan and as far as the Arabian Peninsula.

Tang carvers and artists strived to successfully display the animal’s majestic demeanor, its ferociousness and strength. A description of a lion painting by the 8th century painter Wei Wutian exemplifies this trend: “When foreign countries presented lions to the court, he made paintings of them that were strikingly lifelike. Later, the lions would be returned to their homes, and only their paintings were kept; even so, whenever the pictures were unrolled, any other animal that caught sight of them would be terrified.” (see Alexander C. Soper, T’ang Ch’ao Ming Hua Lu: Celebrated Painters of the T’ang Dynasty, by Chu Chung-hsuan of T’ang, Artibus Asiae, XXI, 1958, p. 217).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 1 April 2019, lot 3029
Price: HKD 3,000,000 or approx. EUR 409,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rare and superbly carved large black stone figure of a lion, Tang dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar pose, expression, mane, and base. Note the different size (53.7 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 23 March 2012, lot 1764
Price: USD 485,500 or approx. EUR 641,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A magnificent carved black limestone figure of a lion and prey
Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling and manner of carving with similar ferocity, curled mane, and base. Note the size (28.5 cm).