Early 20th Century Pair Of Chinese Cloisonne Enamel Foo Lion Censers

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Beautiful fine pair of Chinese cloisonne enamel foo lion censers, in a standing pose. Yellow enamel ground and stylized patinated … Read more Beautiful fine pair of Chinese cloisonne enamel foo lion censers, in a standing pose. Yellow enamel ground and stylized patinated copper repousse head with enamel eyes. Standing on carved hardwood bases.Heads of lions detach from bodies as the the heads are lids and molded so that the fragrant smoke issues from the open mouths when in use.

Chinese guardian lions. Lions have long been associated with Buddhism, royalty and splendor in Chinese tradition. Not indigenous to China, lions were imported as exotic gifts from as early as the Han and Tang dynasties. The symbolism associated with the lion developed with the introduction and spread of Buddhism in China after the fall of the Han dynasty and, by the Qing dynasty, became a common feature of imperial works of art. Still recognizable at the entrances to palaces in the Forbidden City and Buddhist temples across the world, pairs of lions – sometimes known colloquially in English as 'foo dogs' – are said to protect the entrance of a building from threats both spiritual and physical. See less