A SMALL WHITE MARBLE FIGURE OF A LION, TANG DYNASTY Published: Religion and Ritual, Michael B. Weisbrod, Inc., 1987, no. 19.

China, 618-907. Finely carved, the beast seated on its haunches atop a rectangular plinth and facing forward with the mouth wide open in a ferocious roar, the fierce expression further marked by large bulging eyes. Three long strands of a split beard are smoothly carved on the chest below the chin in rounded relief. The pointed ears are laid back above the thick, subtly carved curls of the mane. Its tail curls around the figure's right side with the end lying over the back paw and below the chest.

Provenance: Michael B. Weisbrod, Inc., New York, USA, acquired 1985 in the Hong Kong market. The collection of J. Abraham Cohen, New York, USA, acquired from the above. Michael B. Weisbrod, Inc., New York, USA, 2010, acquired from the above. A notable Canadian private collection, acquired from the above. Michael B. Weisbrod is a noted scholar of Chinese art, who has published extensively on the subject over a time span of more than 50 years. In 1972, Michael joined his father Dr. Gerald Weisbrod's Asian art gallery in Toronto, Canada. The father-and-son team opened their New York location on Madison Avenue in 1977, and during the next 45 years the gallery held a significant number of exhibitions, selling to museums and private collectors across the globe, eventually adding further locations in Shanghai and Hong Kong.
Condition: Superb condition, commensurate with age. Small losses and nicks, light scratches, old wear and weathering, some imperfections to the stone. Fine, naturally grown patina with an unctuous feel and a magnificent ivory color overall.

Weight: 1,837 g
Dimensions: Height 16.2 cm

The lion is well represented in Buddhist art of the Tang dynasty. Its roar was said to represent the dissemination of the Buddhist scriptures. In their role as guardian figures, lions can be found not only lining spirit roads which lead to imperial tombs, but also in pairs in tombs, such as the pair of small marble lions found guarding the front room of the underground hoard of Buddhist relics at the Famen Temple. See Famen Temple, Shanxi, 1990, pp. 164-167. This figure is stylistically related to other marble lions of Tang date that are also seated on a plinth, some facing forward, some with the mouth open.

Literature comparison:
The present marble lion bears a strong resemblance to one of the large stone guardian lions along the spirit path of the Qian Ling mausoleum, the tomb of Emperor Gao Zong and Empress Wu Zetian near Xi'an, illustrated by Qian, Out of China's Earth, page 156, and also by Siren, Chinese Sculpture from the Fifth to the Fourteenth Century, volume 4, pl. 431A. Allowing the difference in size and material, there is a marked similarity in the shape of the muzzle, the split beard and the collar of flesh between the shoulders and legs. The large stone lion is probably no later than AD 683, the year of Gao Zong's death.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 24 September 2020, lot 908
Price: USD 475,000 or approx. EUR 533,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A small white marble figure of a seated lion, China, Tang dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related pose, roar, split beard, bulging eyes, and plinth. Note the similar size (18.2 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 25 March 2022, lot 742
Price: USD 75,600 or approx. EUR 74,000 converted at the time of writing
Description: A superb carved white marble figure of a lion, Tang dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related pose, roar, split beard, bulging eyes, and plinth. Note the similar size (17 cm).



唐代小漢白玉獅
中國，618-907年。雕工精巧，石獅呈現蹲坐式樣，前肢斜伸，胸部挺起，獅頭昂揚，雙目圓睜，頭頸處鬃毛分成數縷垂捲，細膩逼真，體格雄健。它的尾巴捲曲在右側，末端位於後爪上方和胸部下方。

出版：Michael B. Weisbrod，Inc.，《Religion and Ritual》，1987年，編號19。

來源：美國Michael B. Weisbrod藝廊，1985年購於香港；美國紐約J. Abraham Cohen收藏；B. Weisbrod藝廊2010年購於上述收藏。美國紐約Michael B. Weisbrod私人收藏。Michael B. Weisbrod是一位著名的中國藝術學者，他在 50 多年的時間裡就該主題發表了大量著作。1972 年，Michael加入了他父親 Gerald Weisbrod 博士在加拿大多倫多的亞洲藝術藝廊。這對父子團隊於 1977 年在麥迪遜大道開設了他們的紐約分館，在接下來的 45 年裡，藝廊舉辦了大量展覽，向全球的博物館和私人收藏家出售作品，最終還在上海和香港開辦分店。
品相：狀態極好，小缺損和刻痕，輕微的劃痕，磨損和風化，石質有些不完美之美。自然包漿，瑩潤細膩。

重量：1,837 克
尺寸：高16.2 厘米

文獻比較：
現拍品的漢白玉獅，與西安附近的高宗皇帝和武則天皇后的陵墓—乾陵的靈道上的一隻大石獅子非常相似，見Qian，《Out of China's Earth》，頁156；也見Siren，《Chinese Sculpture from the Fifth to the Fourteenth Century》，卷四，圖號431A。考慮到尺寸和材料的不同，獅吼神態、分叉的鬍鬚，以及肩部和腿部都有明顯的相似之處。這尊大石獅子可能不晚於西元683年，即高宗去世的那一年。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2020年9月24日，lot 908
價格：USD 475,000（相當於今日EUR 533,500）
描述：唐代大理石雕獅子
專家評論：比較非常相近的坐姿、獅吼神態、分叉的鬍鬚、凸眼和底座。請注意相似的尺寸(18.2厘米)。

拍賣結果比較：
形制：非常相近
拍賣：紐約佳士得，2022年3月25日，lot 742
價格：USD 75,600（相當於今日EUR 74,000）
描述：唐代石雕獅子
專家評論：比較非常相近的坐姿、獅吼神態、分叉的鬍鬚、凸眼和底座。請注意相似的尺寸(17厘米)。 13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyers premium – only for buyers within the EU.