A very rare pair of monumental bronze Buddhist lions with stands

Description:

China, Qing dynasty, 18th/19th century
Je 98 x 60 x 82 cm mit Sockeln
Both animals are finely worked in bronze and wear neckbands and are depicted sitting on a plinth with brocade patterns. Under the paw of the male animal is a brocade ball, the female animal holds a young animal under its paw. In addition to the brocade pattern, the platforms have a stylised wave and mountain motif in relief. Partially corroded grey-green bronze.
Size of the lions: 63 x 37 x 63 cm
Size of the bases: 34.5 x 63 x 84.5 cm
From an important German private collection, acquired at Lempertz Köln, 30.11.1990, lot 262, published on plate 30
This pair of large bronze lions is one of the rare monumental depictions of Buddhist guardian animals from the Qing period. The figures follow the classical iconographic scheme of Chinese guardian animals (shishi): The male löwe holds a brocade ball under his paw, symbolising power and worldly order; the female figure places her paw on a young animal, symbolising protection and reproduction. This association is closely linked to the ideas of yin and yang and the preservation of harmony at threshold sites - temples, palaces or ancestral shrines. The surface of the bronzes has a dark brown to black-brown patina, corroded in places, with traces of natural ageing. The casting is solid and precisely executed; details such as mane curls, facial features and neckbands with bells are clearly modelled. The plinths feature reliefs with brocade patterns and geometric designs reminiscent of decorative stone bases used in Buddhist architecture. The size of these pieces makes them extraordinary. While most bronze chandeliers from the Qing period are between 20 and 40 cm high, only a few specimens come close to a metre. Comparable pairs can be found in the Forbidden City in Beijing in front of the palaces and halls, such as the Taihemen - Minim. signs of age and partly corroded