China, 13th-14th century. Naturalistically modeled as a recumbent Buddhist Lion vibrantly painted on a white slip and under a clear glaze with two large eyes and black stripes on the orange-red body, its back gently dished to form a concave pillow and painted with a bird perched on the ground. Provenance: Fong’s Gallery, Hong Kong. Dr. Koos de Jong, acquired from the above in 1999 (invoice not available). Dr. de Jong is a Dutch art historian and has been privately collecting Chinese art over decades. He has authored hundreds of articles and several books on Dutch fine and decorative arts spanning from the Middle Ages to the modern era. In 2013, he published an extensive study of Chinese riding gear in “Dragon & Horse, Saddle Rugs and Other Horse Tack from China and Beyond”. Between 1976 and 2009 he worked for numerous museums across the Netherlands and was the director of the European Ceramic Work Center in Den Bosch. Condition: Excellent condition with old wear and some firing flaws.