{"product_id":"guardian-lion-with-a-dark-cap-plinth-marble-200cm","title":"Guardian Lion With a Dark Cap Plinth Marble - 200cm","description":"\u003ch3\u003eDescription\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eA pair of Chinese guardian lions sit on two-tier plinths, one forepaw on a cub and the other on an embroidered ball. What sets these apart is the two-tone treatment: the cap slab above each plinth is a dark near-black stone, and the diagonal lattice of the triangular apron and its key-fret border are picked out dark against the pale plinth below. One lion is supplied; two orders give you the flanking arrangement.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eDark Cap Slabs Against Pale Plinths\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTwo tones on one piece means the dark work is done last and protected while it is done. The pale plinth is finished and sealed before the fret is blacked, because once the dark reaches a pale surface it does not come off a marble the way it comes off a granite. The cap slab is a separate stone bedded on top rather than a stained band, which is why the line between pale and dark is dead straight rather than feathered. The plinth itself is a white marble, and that is what makes the dark cap read as a line rather than as a shadow.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe dark caps give these lions a horizon line at plinth height, which reads well against a pale wall, gravel or a light paving and disappears against dark planting. Set them flanking a gate or a stair with something light behind. As a pair they want equal spacing either side; singly, a corner. Both plinths need beds at exactly the same level or the dark caps will not line up.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTwo Tones, and Keeping Them Clean\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eFifteen weeks. The pale plinths are cut, finished and sealed before any dark work begins, and the fret is blacked only then, because the sealer is what stops the dark bleeding into the marble. The cap slabs are cut and bedded separately. The figures are seated last, once the caps are down. Our main studios are in the UK (Birmingham) and Dubai, with additional global workshops. Around 4,668kg per piece across three parts, craned onto level beds.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTwo-tone figures sit in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/animal-sculptures\"\u003eanimal sculptures\u003c\/a\u003e, and the outdoor pieces under \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/garden-statues\"\u003egarden statues\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\u003e200cm\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":53831408583003,"sku":"MST-ANI-010","price":31645.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0869\/3383\/2027\/files\/MST-ANI-010_1.jpg?v=1787590575","url":"https:\/\/giant-sculptures.com\/products\/guardian-lion-with-a-dark-cap-plinth-marble-200cm","provider":"Giant Sculptures","version":"1.0","type":"link"}