Chinese Large Old Stone "Buddha" of Compassion Triad, Private Family Shrine

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 Monumental Pair (2) Antique Stone “Spirit Pathway” Tigers, middle Qing period 1750-1850. Dimensions: 115cm, 46” high and 60cm, 24” in width. Likely utilized as spirit pathway tomb markers, these powerful, benign carved sitting effigies perched on haunches and front paws with round heads and faces exposing defined eye sockets, ears and two fangs a top bases that feature curled tails on side each whole atop a block shaped base and hand-carved from limestone whose surfaces show considerable weatherization from exposure and good age. Reference: 35 Years Collecting 35 Treasures, Schneible Fine Arts catalog Number 30, p. 66. Provenance: originally found in Fujian Province. Fujian has the distinction of being home to China’s last remaining wild tigers and famous “tiger” mountain. No wonder then that these early stone works...

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