Skip to main content
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 16

Large Pair of Graduated Turquoise Porcelain Foo Dogs. Chinese Circa 1880

About the Item

Chinese turquoise-colored porcelain foo dogs from circa 1880 are exquisite examples of traditional Chinese ceramic art. Foo dogs, also known as guardian lions or temple lions, are iconic mythical creatures in Chinese culture that symbolize protection and prosperity. They are often depicted as pairs, with one male and one female, and are commonly placed as sentinels at the entrances of important buildings, such as temples, palaces, and homes. The color turquoise is highly valued in Chinese culture and is associated with various positive attributes, including protection from evil spirits and bringing good fortune. Turquoise glazes were popular during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), particularly in the late 19th century. The glaze used on these porcelain foo dogs often exhibited a beautiful turquoise hue with variations in color intensity due to firing techniques and conditions. As guardians, foo dogs have specific symbolic characteristics. The male typically holds a ball under its paw, representing the world, while the female holds a cub, symbolizing protection and nurturing. The pair together embodies the balance of yin and yang.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 19.69 in (50 cm)Width: 7.88 in (20 cm)Depth: 8.86 in (22.5 cm)
  • Sold As:
    Set of 2
  • Style:
    Qing (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Ceramic,Glazed
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1880
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Ixelles, BE
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU8924235490622
More From This SellerView All
  • 19th Century Chinese Nankin Porcelain Vase
    Located in Ixelles, BE
    Nanjing Porcelain, also known as Nanking Porcelain and referred to as "Nanjing" by Western dealers in the 19th century, was a type of Chinese porcela...
    Category

    Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Ceramics

    Materials

    Porcelain

  • Pair of 19th Century Qing Dynasty Faux Bamboo Chinese Vases
    Located in Ixelles, BE
    Faux bamboo Chinese vases were a type of decorative art that emerged during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) in China. These porcelain vases were designed to mimic the appearance of bamboo, a plant highly regarded in Chinese culture for its resilience, elegance, and symbolism. Bamboo is associated with attributes such as flexibility, strength, and modesty, making it a popular motif in Chinese art. In the Qing Dynasty the color yellow held significant symbolism and represented imperial authority, power, and the emperor himself. Yellow was considered the most sacred and prestigious color in Chinese culture, and it had strong associations with the emperor's position as the Son of Heaven and the ruler of all under heaven. The marks at the bottom of the vases indicate that these were crafted more specifically during the Tongzhi period – an emperor who reigned from 1861 to 1875, which effectively lasted nthrough his adolescence and was largly overshadowed by the rule of his mother, Empress Dowager Cixi. Although he had little influence over state affairs, the events of his reign gave rise to what historians call the “Tongzhi Restoration”, an unsuccessful modernization program. The polychrome enamels representing on one vase a traditional Chinese kite...
    Category

    Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Ceramics

    Materials

    Porcelain

  • Pair of Late 19th Century Cantonese Famille Rose Vases in Porcelain
    Located in Ixelles, BE
    Famille Rose refers to a type of Chinese porcelain characterized by the use of opaque, brightly colored enamels, prominently featuring shades of pink, purple, green, and yellow. The ...
    Category

    Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Ceramics

    Materials

    Porcelain

  • Pair of Japanese Moriage Satsuma Vases with Gold Gilding Circa 1930-1940
    Located in Ixelles, BE
    Japanese Satsuma vases from the circa 1930-1940 period are a particular style of ceramic art that originated from the Satsuma province of Japan. Satsuma ware is renowned for its intricate hand-painted designs, rich colors, and distinctive crackled glaze. Satsuma ware dates back to the early 17th century, but it gained widespread popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the 1930s and 1940s. Satsuma vases produced during this time often reflected a mix of traditional and modern influences, as Japan went through a period of cultural exchange and artistic experimentation. Satsuma vases are made from a type of Japanese earthenware clay known for its fine texture and malleability. The vases are hand-formed or wheel-thrown and then meticulously hand-painted with intricate designs using enamel paints. The distinctive crackled glaze was achieved by firing the vases at a relatively low temperature, allowing the glaze to crack during the cooling process. The moriage technique involves applying three-dimensional, raised ornamentation to the surface of the ceramic piece, creating a visually textured and layered effect. Artisans create three-dimensional patterns, designs, or intricate motifs using a special mixture of clay, slip, or porcelain paste. The raised elements are added by hand to the ceramic body, and each detail is carefully shaped to achieve the desired effect. The moriage is then gold gilded as some of the intricate ornamental patterns and the halos around the three immortal...
    Category

    Early 20th Century Japanese Showa Ceramics

    Materials

    Pottery

  • Pair of Moon-Shaped Vases, China Late 19th Century
    Located in Ixelles, BE
    A pair of large moon-shaped "flasks" vases painted in blue and white, each flask decorated with scenes of active characters and surrounded by borders of floral motifs and foliate pat...
    Category

    Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Antiquities

    Materials

    Porcelain

  • Marc Clauzade Painting of Saint Tropez Ref 086
    By Marc Clauzade
    Located in Ixelles, BE
    Marc Clauzade: Capturing the Essence of French Artistry Hailing from the vibrant city of Paris, Marc Clauzade stands as France’s most prominent living artistic asset, a testament to...
    Category

    Late 20th Century French Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Paint

You May Also Like
  • Pair of Chinese Turquoise Glazed Foo Dogs, circa 1880
    Located in Chicago, IL
    A wonderful pair of turquoise glazed Chinese Foo dog statues- circa 1880. Foo dogs were actually lions, yet they resemble a Chow Chow and/or Shih Tzu (dog breeds) which led them to b...
    Category

    Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Ceramics

    Materials

    Ceramic

  • Chinese Graduated Pair Turquoise Glazed Porcelain Mounted Foo Dogs
    Located in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
    A very fine and attractive pair of graduated Chinese turquoise glazed dogs of foo figures dating from the first half of the 20th century. The hollow biscui...
    Category

    20th Century Chinese Mid-Century Modern Ceramics

    Materials

    Porcelain

  • Pair Of Chinese Turquoise Glazed Porcelain Foo Dogs
    Located in Houston, TX
    Pair Of Chinese Turquoise Glazed Porcelain Foo Dogs. A large pair of Chinese turquoise glazed foo dogs dating from the first half of the 20th century. This lovely pair of glazed porc...
    Category

    Vintage 1950s Chinese Chinese Export Ceramics

    Materials

    Porcelain

  • Large Pair of Antique Chinese Porcelain Foo Dogs
    Located in Houston, TX
    Large pair of antique Chinese porcelain foo dogs. Stunning pair of antique Chinese hand decorated porcelain foo dogs or foo lions. T...
    Category

    Vintage 1920s Chinese Chinese Export Ceramics

    Materials

    Porcelain

  • Pair of Chinese Porcelain Foo Dogs
    Located in Essex, MA
    Each seated on pedestals one stepping on a ball the other clutching a reptilian creature. Painted in the spinach and egg color.
    Category

    Antique 1880s Chinese Ceramics

    Materials

    Other

  • Antique Large Pair of Porcelain Polychrome Foo Dogs, Chinese, circa 1900
    Located in Torino, IT
    Fine large pair of polychrome glazed "Famille Jaune et Verte" porcelain foo dogs, one female with pup the other male with front paw resting on pierced ball, decorated in overglaze en...
    Category

    Early 20th Century Chinese Ceramics

    Materials

    Porcelain

Recently Viewed

View All