Anonymous. GUARDIAN FIGURE. Wood carving, China, circa 16th-17th Century. About 31 inches tall, polychromed wood. Figure of one of the 4 guardians which were placed outside of temples, or in the shrine area of a home, to guard the Buddha at North, South, East, and West, each distinguished by the color of the face: Red face, Black face, White face, and Yellow face. The temple figures stood 9ft to 14ft tall. A smaller figure such as this would have been one of a group in a prominent family's home. These figures were mostly done in the 15th and 16th century. In very good condition with a few old repairs, minor losses and fading of polychrome.
