A Pair of Stone Animal Guardians

A pair of stone guardians of the kind that watched over tombs and gateways. The pale one sits turned away, mild; the dark one glares and bares its teeth.

Guardians come properly in twos — a gentle face and a fierce one complete each other. They sit well divided, too, at either end of a doorway or a bookshelf.

Related Objects in Museum Collections

A few related objects found on Korea’s e-Museum by searching for “석사자”. Comparing their forms is a quiet pleasure.