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c. 1880

Figure of a Guardian Lion

Léon Parvillée

French, 1830 - 1885

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Léon Parvillée created plaques, vases, and sculptural objects inspired by non-Western models. Here he adopted the Chinese guardian lion (known in English as a foo dog), a traditional architectural element found throughout East Asia and known in Japan as the komainu. With humor and technical skill, Parvillée embellishes his little temple lion with bright colored glazes that were allowed to run and blend.

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