{"product_id":"chinese-guardian-lion-with-ball-marble-statue-180cm","title":"Chinese Guardian Lion With Ball Marble Statue - 180cm","description":"\u003ch3\u003eDescription\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eA Chinese guardian lion sits upright with a tightly curled mane, an ornate collar carrying a bell and a dragon-mask pendant, and one forepaw resting on an embroidered ball. Beneath it is a two-tier plinth, the upper block set with a diagonal lattice panel inside a key-fret border and a triangular apron, over a moulded base with scroll bands.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eGuardian Lion With a Dragon Mask Collar\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe dragon mask on the collar is the smallest thing on the piece and the hardest. It hangs proud of the chest on a strap barely a finger wide, and because it sits directly under the jaw there is no room to swing a chisel once the head is finished, so it is cut before the mane above it is dressed down. The lattice on the plinth is pierced only to a shallow depth rather than cut through, which keeps the block solid under the weight of the lion.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA single guardian lion works where a pair would crowd: one side of a doorway, the head of a flight of steps, a courtyard corner or the turn of a drive. Facing inward toward the approach is the traditional placing rather than outward at the street. At this height it reads from a distance and needs no planting round it. Set the base on a level compacted bed with clear ground on all sides.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSiting a Single Lion Rather Than a Pair\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eFourteen weeks. The plinth is cut and its lattice worked before the lion is begun, because the figure is measured off the finished cap and a plinth altered afterwards would leave the beast sitting proud of it. The collar and its dragon mask are cut before the mane is dressed down over them. The ball under the paw is undercut last. Our main studios are in the UK (Birmingham) and Dubai, with additional global workshops. Around 3,403kg in two pieces, craned into position and bedded onto a prepared concrete pad.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore guardian figures are in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/animal-sculptures\"\u003eanimal sculptures\u003c\/a\u003e, and the marble ones under \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/marble-sculptures\"\u003emarble sculptures\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecification\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ctable class=\"spec_table\"\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHeight\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e180cm\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBase\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIncluded\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaterial\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHand-Carved Natural Marble\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Giant Sculptures","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53831399801179,"sku":"MST-ANI-002","price":26985.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0869\/3383\/2027\/files\/MST-ANI-002_1.jpg?v=1787141983","url":"https:\/\/giant-sculptures.com\/products\/chinese-guardian-lion-with-ball-marble-statue-180cm","provider":"Giant Sculptures","version":"1.0","type":"link"}