RARE EARLY 20TH CENTURY ANTIQUE SHIWAN CHINESE HAND DECORATED STONEWARE CERAMIC FOO DOG (GUARDIAN LION) W/ VARIEGATED, SEMI- TRANSPARENT POWDER BLUE GLAZE & COBALT FLECKS. [This single antique foo dog was found alone in an estate & wasn’t paired w/another similar figure]. Early 20th century Chinese antique hand decorated ceramic Foo Dogs & figurative statuary. 6 34″ Height x 7″ Width x 3 12 Depth. Absolutely gorgeous and in very well-preserved overall antique condition. With very little noticeable surface damage to its highly detailed ceramic form and has perhaps only a missing flake on one of the raised ball beads found on the body. The rest of the early 20th century Chinese antique foo dog or guardian lion’s stoneware ceramic form, is without noticeable, depreciating flea-bites to any of its edges or fractures. Remarkably, the foo dog’s intricately fashioned mouth, with two rows of sharply pointed teeth, are fully exposed in the open mouth of the foo dog, as if poised in a prone, protective position, ready to strike at any possible intruder with its menacing teeth. The viscous, glossy, highly reflective glaze on the foo dog’s body is interrupted with episodes of matte sepia brown, burnt sienna and the deep charcoal glaze of the guardian foo dog’s four paws. The foo dog has unnatural, nearly demonic, supernatural figuration, that resembles the body of a small, muscular dragon. Incredible surfaces and complex, beautiful color make this early 20th century Chinese antique hand decorated foo dog or guardian lion, a truly memorable one, with exceptional glaze and sculptural, incredibly tactile figuration. Of course, in a perfect world (the one we don’t live in) there would not be one but two foo dogs, in the same nearly unscathed condition as this single, individual foo dog stoneware ceramic piece. But this single piece was found alone in the fine Boston, Massachusetts estate from where it was first discovered in a library and removed from the well-appointed home. What is outstanding and superlative about this particular Chinese stoneware foo dog, is the high level of detailed figuration present, which not to be outdone, is also decorated with a truly extraordinary semi-transparent or’runny’ viscous glaze, that seems to have been applied rapidly and which is allowed to run and pool somewhat around areas of the form, leaving certain areas with a highly reflective coating and other areas with nearly no glaze at all, remaining matte and with the same dry, super flat surfaces of the ceramic stoneware clay after is was kiln-fired in what was almost certainly, an early stone ceramic pottery oven. There’s no point-of-view, angle or nearly an area of the foo dog which doesn’t command your attention. The points of interest are therefore evenly dispersed over the entirety of its form and are democratically exercised, disallowing a less eventful and visually lazy episode to even occur. Extraordinary, highly detailed sculptural ability is on full display, with equally capable hand decoration with the most beautiful, thrilling resulting surfaces. Definitely, by any measure, not your average Chinese antique foo dog. Good to Very Good overall vintage condition. The item “RARE EARLY 20TH C ANTIQUE SHIWAN CHINESE STONEWARE CERAMIC BLUE GLAZED FOO DOG” is in sale since Thursday, May 7, 2020. This item is in the category “Antiques\Asian Antiques\China\Figurines & Statues”. The seller is “modsanctuary” and is located in Milford, New Hampshire. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Region of Origin: China
- Animal Type: Foo Dog (or Guardian Lion)
- Age: 1900-1940
- Primary Material: Stoneware clay, viscous glaze
- Maker: Unknown Shiwan Chinese ceramic artist
- Theme: Foo Dog
- Original/Reproduction: Antique Original
- Figurative: Fauna
- 7″ in Width: 3 1/2″ in Depth
- 100% original antique condition: Untouched & undisturbed
- Single Guardian Lion (Foo Dog): Found in a fine Boston, MA estate
- Dimensions:: 6 34″ Height x 7″ Width x 3 12″ Depth
- Shiwan: China
- Viscous, semi-transparent, glossy glaze: Glossy, highly reflective glaze
- Features: Handpainted
- Chinese: Shiwan
- Early 20th century: Circa 1900-1915
- Color: Powder blue w/cobalt, sand flecks, sepia & white
- Hand made: Hand decorated
- Stoneware: Ceramic
- Height: 6 3/4″ in Height
- Chinese Dynasty: Qing (1644-1911)
