Pair of copper lions in cloisonne enamels, Qing dynasty (1644-1911)-China Archive

Image Number: C1E000349N000000000PAC
Dynasty: Qing dynasty
Category: Enamel wares
Function: Furnisher
Material: Minerals/Metals/Copper
Description:
The copper body, lion’s ear, tail, cub and hydrangea are separately cast and bound. Except for the yellow ground of the lion’s back and tail, Yu Junlan displays the animal hair with filigree, and his neck is decorated with a gold plated ring with three bells. The male lion’s right foot steps on the red silk hydrangea, usually standing on the right side of the official yamen or even the door of a large mansion. The female lion’s right foot steps on the cub, and is placed on the left side of the door. The male and female lions look at each other across the door. The male and female lions represent the grand master and the young master. The grand master and the young master rank first among the three masters (the grand master and the grand fu and the grand bao) and the three orphans (the young master and the young fu and the young bao), implying that they are senior officials. Among the enamel relics that Li Zhiying, the two quasi salt governors in Yangzhou, paid tribute on the eighth day of November in the 36th year of Qianlong’s reign (1771), there were “enamel green lions offering treasures in pairs”; Yangzhou is one of the main producing areas of enamel in the Qing Dynasty. This pair of lions should be a cultural relic in the late 18th century.