18th C. Chinese Qing Wood Temple Corbel w/ Fu Lions

This is an oversized piece that may require special shipping - please request a shipping quote prior to bidding.

East Asia, China, Qing Dynasty, ca. 18th to 19th century CE. This is a lovely architectural panel hand-carved from a massive piece of wood as an intricate corbel with a fu lion, scrolling stylized clouds, and other zoomorphic forms. The wood is painted red, a lucky and symbolic color traditionally used on temples. The main fu lion is positioned vertically and forms most of the structure, with the tail pointing skywards; the body, mane, and tail fusing into the scrolling celestial clouds and ribboning shapes surrounding the downward pointed head and nose. Between the front paws is a ball and a fu lion cub, the head upturned looking at the mother lion. The upper corner of one side contains a bat, another auspicious symbol of prosperity and fertility. The large corbel is an intricate open and relief carving that has great signs of age and weathering from the years as a temple element! Size: 22" L x 7" W x 51" H (55.9 cm x 17.8 cm x 129.5 cm); 52.5" H (133.4 cm) on included custom stand.

Lions were introduced to Chinese courts as early as the Han dynasty; however, most artists relied on second-hand sources for descriptions, resulting in very stylized figures that were often mistaken as dogs by western viewers. These fu lions, also known as foo lions or foo dogs, are the highly stylized representations of a spiritual lion guardians that protected sacred buildings, tombs, or palaces against evil spirits or people. They are usually presented in pairs outside an entrance to protect those within, representing the male and female as well as yin. Symbolically, the male fu lion protects the outside, and the female protects the inside of the dwelling. When portrayed together the male usually plays with a ball and the female plays with a cub - here both the cub and ball are portrayed. This corbel, jutting prominently from the side of a building, would have been an impressive and auspicious marker to those who passed through the entrance.

This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world's largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.

Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection; ex-M. Kobiashi collection, Hawaii, USA, 1960 to 2000

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.

Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.

#168508
Condition Report: Stable pressure fissures throughout. Losses and chips to high pointed areas, and abrasions to the surface throughout. Fading of red pigments Excellent preservation to the carved forms and dark patina.