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Large baluster-shaped vase in Chinese porcelain with white-blue decoration of Buddhist lions* (known as lions or dogs of Fô) among ribbons and clouds, taken in the shape of fantastic animals (dragons), on a wooden base, from the 19th century.
This vase is in good condition as is its base.
Please note: small firing crack on the base, some slight enamel defects, wear and tear, see photos.
* Guardian lions or Chinese imperial guardian lions, traditionally referred to in Chinese simply as shi and often referred to in the West as "Fo lions" or "Fo dogs", are a common representation of the lion in imperial China. Statues of guardian lions have traditionally stood in front of Chinese imperial palaces, imperial tombs, administrative buildings, temples, and the residences of officials and the wealthy since the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD). They were believed to have protective powers. Lions are usually depicted in pairs, with the male resting his paw on a decorated ball (which in an imperial context represented supremacy over the world) and a female holding a small lion (representing nurture).
