China Early Hand-Carved Joyful Guan Yin Buddha International Pose Qing Dynasty

China, a monumental pair (2) of 500 year old lime stone “Spirit Path” Equine horse head sculptures. Ming dynasty, (1368-1644 CE). A pair of near life size and robust head sections with fine, wavy combed manes, well defined mouths, ears, nostrils, and ornamental bridles, all carved in a medium to dark gray limestone with considerable weathering to surfaces. The smaller head with a later inscription on bottom and signed “Zhuang”. Formerly exhibited “Treasures from Asia”, Shelburne Vermont, Shelburne Art Center, 2006. Originally found in the vicinity of the village of Chuan near Luoyang City, Henan Provance, China. Each mounted on a custom iron display stand. Dimensions: A the smaller 32.5cm, 13” high and 62.5cm, 25” in length and with display stand, 60cm, 24” high; b the larger 37.5cm, 15” high and 67.5cm, 27” in length and with display stand 65cm, 26” high. Please view additional photographs from our Chinese antiquities catalog 35 Years Collecting 35 Treasures, page 60. History: Placing stone animals and human figures along spirit paths in front of important tombs can be traced back at least to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE), some two thousand years ago. In ancient times, stone animals and human figures placed before imperial tombs symbolized royal power and privilege in addition to decorative functions. Life size “spirit path” stone horse sculptures are known and can be viewed from Ming dynasty tombs including thirteen imperial tombs of the Ming Dynasty scattered over an area of forty square kilometers in Changping District to the northwest of Beijing. The first Ming tomb...

China, a carved antique stone Penjing or painting form garden table, middle Qing dynasty (1644-1911), limestone, three pieces Dimensions: 34 inches high and 55 inches long and 16 in...

Japan a tall early antique stone temple mythical Shi Shi Temple Foo Dog Lion also known as Komainu hand-carved in sandstone. Dimensions: 23 inches high and 10 inches wide and 16 inches deep Age: great age dating to the middle Edo period (1800-1840). Old and original patina with aged and substantial traces of encrustation still visible. Ancient repair. These Older Buddhist mythological Komainu like this example are infrequently found in not only this impressive size, but in this early age. Today these are often seen guarding entrances to Japanese Buddhist temples and shrines. About Shishi Komainu Ah and Un: Temple Shishi are traditionally depicted, one with mouth open (Ah) and one with mouth closed (Un). Ah is the first sound in the Japanese alphabet...

Instant display and collection, one of a kind #2 From western China and collected some 20 years ago, comes this group of three (3) large hand carved red sandstone Lohans or Monks da...

China, an authentic antique hand-carved and hand-painted limestone temple figure of the venerable lohan, Kasyapa. This beautiful Buddhist sculpture will bring serenity and timeless style to your home, office, sacred space, or garden Substantial dimensions: 35 inches high and 12 inches wide Handmade and hand-carved, solid limestone with weathered remnants of older temple paint as applied by the temple from where it originally came, Chengdu, China. Head and hands are later replacements. Stone statues like these were regularly - refreshed- by the temple monks. In our extensive travels to western china we saw many instances of old stone figures like this with varying degrees of paint refreshing, ,replacement of heads as this one, and periodic refreshment by the temple monks to maintain a seemingly new appearance. Please note the offering cavity on his back side- undoubtedly used by patrons to place offering scripts or perhaps food as a sign of respect and veneration. This enjoyable character would make a fine garden presentation or special indoor choice. Only one. Provenance: Originally from a collector in Chengdu, China, acquired by us directly from this collection around 2002 on one of our many visits to that part of historic China. About Kasyapa: Kasyapa is a revered Vedic sage of Hinduism. He was one of the seven ancient sages considered as Saptarishis in Sanskrit texts and Indian mythologies. He is the most ancient rishi listed in the colophon verse in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad and called a self-made scholar in the Atharvaveda. He was based in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, and legends attribute the region of Kashmir to be derived from his name. One of the more frequently depicted lohans in Chinese sculpture is Kasyapa, a cousin to the Buddha. Throughout Six dynasties...

Rare and Hard To Find 19th Century From China's Qing dynasty (1644-1912) a hard to find solid limestone finely carved "drum" pedestal - perfect for displaying your indoor or outdoor...

A beautiful, finely carved Tang dynasty Silk Road style solid stone statue of Goddess of Compassion Guan Yin Avalokitwshavara. The bodhisattva is sho...

A large 7.15 lb Republic era silver bronze statue of the Goddess of Compassion Guan Yin. Seated on lotus throne, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara is depicted in the most traditional fashi...

A Chinese Qing Dynasty period carved stone foo dog guardian lion from the 19th century, on square base. Created in China during the Qing Dynasty, this st...

Replica of a large stone Chinese Buddha from the 15th-16th century featuring weathered paint in various colors.

This sage green carved stone Buddha was purchased from an upstate NY garden where it has resided for the last 120 years. The family began the house and garden in the late 1890s and traveled through China, Southeast Asia and Europe acquiring objects to create a complete retirement home for themselves and their family from New York City. Sculptures like this are a typical form found at Angkor of numerous sizes representing Nagas and used as guardians of temples. This figure was a favorite motif of Angkorean sculptors from the 12 century...

A Chinese Qing Dynasty period stone temple pedestal from the 19th century with hand-carved motifs. Created in China during the Qing Dynasty, this temple pedestal features a linear si...