Petite Pedestal with Fu Dog

Carved with the image of a protective shizi dog, this petite limestone pedestal once invoked the spirit of a fu dog to provide protection from harmful spirits. Framing the shizi are the hand-carved details that once made this small stone stool resemble a drum. A ring of circles along the top and bottom imitates the nails used to stretch the surface on an actual drum, and thin vertical lines scratched into the surface exaggerate the barrel-like swell. Originally used in a Chinese garden or courtyard, this 19th-century pedestal is wonderfully rustic, making it ideal as a garden accent or plant stand.