Vintage Famille Verte Glazed Porcelain Foo Dogs - Pair

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Marked on bottom. Chinese guardian lions (also called Foo dogs or Fu lions), decorative figures traditionally used as protective symbols … Read more Marked on bottom. Chinese guardian lions (also called Foo dogs or Fu lions), decorative figures traditionally used as protective symbols in Chinese culture.

Made of glazed ceramic with vibrant sancai (three-color)-style enamels—predominantly green, yellow, blue, and brown. Each lion is seated on a rectangular plinth base with a geometric cut-out design. They have bulging eyes, open mouths showing teeth, and curly manes rendered in stylized, swirling forms. One holds a decorative ball under its paw (typically the male), and the other often would have a cub (female)—though both here appear to be holding balls.

Their overall look is playful yet fierce, meant to ward off evil spirits and symbolize protection, strength, and prosperity. See less