During the Western Jin dynasty, pottery and ceramics manufacturing techniques matured considerably. Pieces from this period boast a smooth, refined body and a lustrous glaze, and they come in all kinds of shapes and designs. Utensils such as censors and water-pots were produced in large numbers, and were often embellished with a wide range of patterns and designs. This was facilitated by the improvement of carving, sculpting, and molding techniques, allowing the manufacture of items both useful and aesthetically pleasing. This lot is a sculpture of a lion, usually meant to ward off evil and bad luck. It has an impressive mane, a pair of eyes looking straight ahead, and two ears cocked in attention. The teeth are exposed in a threatening fashion. The animal is crouching on the ground with bent legs, and its body is surmounted with a round knob that is flattened at the top. Such sculptures were quite common during the Western Jin, but more research is needed to determine precisely why they were so popular, or what they signified and how they were used.

H: 13.5 cm