Sculpture - Gilt lacquered wood - A Pair of Chinese Gilt Lacquered Wood Figures of Guardians, H- 60 cm. - China - Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)

each depicted standing in action above a rocky base, clad in billowing robes and beaded armour revealing muscular bodies, the faces bearing gruesome fierce expressions with highly arched brows and coiffed hair. Qing dynasty. Made from very hard wood! Provenance: Important Chicago, US private collection. Lempertz, Germany Height of taller 24 3/4 in. , 60. 3 cm. The temple guardians represent the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, birth and death (of the spiritual body of effort to reach the state of prolonged presence of the original Spirit) . The left guardian has an open mouth and is saying Ah, the first syllable of the Japanese syllabary and the Sanskrit alphabet, which has the same meaning as the first yang line of the hexagram Heaven. The guardian on the right has a closed mouth, saying Om, a syllable from the Sanskrit alphabet or N, the last syllable of the Japanese Hiragana alphabet, which has the same meaning as the sixth line of the hexagram Heaven. Our Guarantee: The above item is guarantee to be of the time period and condition as described, has been imported/exported legally and is legal to buy and sell under all international lows to cultural patrimony. - A Certificate of Authenticity from Becker Antiques (specialist in Chinese art 1969, Amsterdam) will accompany the item. Condition: Wear consisted with the age, crack to the base of the one figure, discoloring. One very small piece missing from the hair decoration of the one figure please see photos #36 and 37. Furthermore for its age very good condition. Important information. The seller guarantees that he is entitled to ship this lot. It will be professionally packed and safely send in a wooden crate by Fed. Ex. Buyers are responsible for import regulation and restrictions of their own country About us Becker Antiques is one of the most leading reputable antique dealers in the Netherlands. Becker Antiques is a name and place that speaks of excellent antiques and art, outstanding service and worldwide expertise. Founded in 1969 by Jan Simon Becker, Becker Antiques is based in Museum quarter, Amsterdam Oud-Zuid, in a magnificent five-floor townhouse build 1891, at a few minutes from “Rijksmuseum” (National Museum of Art) , the Van Gogh Museum and the famous “Royal Concertgebouw”. Becker Antiques main field covers ceramics – pottery funerary figures (dated from the Han through the Ming dynasties) , Buddhist sculptures and other Chinese works of art. Our other sections are Asian works of art – concerns objects from Japan and South East Asian countries including bronze, stone and wooden sculptures, Chinese furniture from the Qing Dynasty and of course occasional other items. For the last 52 years we have been selling antiques to museums, private collectors and dealers all over the world.