Figurine

Art

-

Historic Hudson Valley

Name/Title

Figurine

Entry/Object ID

VC.72.1

Description

Blanc de chine group of seven figures: man wearing European clothes and a floppy beret-like hat, woman in Asian dress, and a small lion seated on back of a large, fiercely grimacing stylized lion, with teeth bared, nostrils flared and eyes wide and glaring; two small lions on ground in front, man wearing Asian dress and beret and holding a small disc, standing between lions; on oval base with rippling indentations; cream-colored smooth glaze.

Artwork Details

Medium

Porcelain (hard-paste)

Made/Created

Artist Information

Artist

Unknown

Attribution

Maker

Date made

1700 - 1725

Dimensions

Dimension Description

Overall

Height

11 in

Width

8 in

Depth

5 in

Dimension Notes

Display Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 5 in. (27.9 x 20.3 x 12.7 cm)

Condition

Notes

Remarks: Old crack or dark line from mane to half-way around chin; firing crack, lower left near base, head of foo dog and in arm of man

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Van Cortlandt Family

Notes

Former owner

Person or Organization

Ann DePeyster

Notes

Former owner

Related Entries

Notes

VC.60.44 - Figurine - Similar item

General Notes

Note Type

Curatorial Remarks

Note

There is a pair of blanc de chine lions/dogs in the collection and on view at VCM. The first piece to be accessioned (VC.60.44) does not have Van Cortlandt family provenance. It was a donated to the collection by a non-family member. The other piece (VC.72.1) is the piece with family provenance. To quickly tell them apart, the family piece has a "cavity" on one side of the animal's mouth. [Jessa J. Krick, 7/26/2016]. This stylized lion is alternately known as a dog of Fu (or Fo). Since the adult animal appears with two cubs, it is assumed to be female. The most common subject of blanc-de-chine, the goddess of mercy Kuan-Yin, is often depicted sitting on such a lioness, although it is usually lying down, not standing. The lion, which is not native to China, has mythological and supernatural overtones in the Chinese tradition.

Note Type

General Note

Note

Van Cortlandt family possession

Note Type

StorageNote

Note

Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Van Cortlandt Manor, Parlour