Antique Embroidered Temple Hanging with Foo Dogs: C19th China

Item Details.
A beautiful Qing dynasty embroidered temple hanging from China. Worked on a deep magenta silk ground with very fine couched wrapped gilt and silk threads depicting Foo or Fu dogs.

The Foo dogs known in colloquial English as lion dogs or foo dogs / fu dogs. The concept, which originated and became popular in Chinese Buddhism, features a pair of highly stylized lions—often one male with a ball which represents the material elements and one female with a cub—which represents the element of spirit, were thought to protect the building from harmful spiritual influences and harmful people that might be a threat.

This would make a delightful wall hanging or above a bed or doorway.

Measurements.
63 x 101cm

Condition: Good
The condition is good for an item of this era and of such and age. There are a few marks which it may be possible to remove by a specialist cleaner. Some of the brocade ribbon which runs within the border is worn but nothing which detracts fro the overall loveliness of this item.