Lladro Bacchante on A Panther Woman Sculpture. Limited Edition

For thousands of years, these majestic creatures have represented the best omens in Eastern culture. Artists at the Lladró High Porcelain workshop have recreated this ancient tradition in these limited edition pieces, richly decorated with lustres and various textures and finishes. These lions, inspired by traditional statues of bronze, iron or granite which flank the doors of palaces, temples and noble houses in various Eastern countries, are presented in pairs and protect the buildings from evil spirits. Seen from the front, the male is located on the right and takes care of the structure, represented by the ball he holds with his leg, while the female is located on the left and cares for the inhabitants. This lion is paired with the guardian lioness (red) and there are two other decorative versions. Warm colours are predominant in its ornamentation, with alternating yellow-orange, reds and earth tones. Artists of the High Porcelain workshop recreate and embellish every detail of the piece, such as the elaborate ornamentation of the skirts and chest plates, the introduction of the necklace as a decorative element and the lavish modelling of the manes and tails. Authentic filigree work makes these impressive sculptures a work halfway between the thousand-year-old tradition and the maker´s creation.

The striking presence of mythological beings flanking the Ishtar Gate at the walls of Babylon inspired the artists of the Lladró High Porcelain workshop in this powerful sculpture, richly decorated with golds, lustres and a vast wealth of colours and textures. Lamassu is the name of the winged bulls with human heads guarding the entrance to the royal palaces of the ancient Neo-Assyrian empire. With their imposing presence on both sides of the door, they symbolised the supernatural powers of kings, drove away evil and attracted good fortune. Each of the elements of this mythological creature is reproduced with great artistry in this limited edition: the wild bull of Mesopotamia hunted by kings, the eagle representing the monarch contemplating his subjects, and the human brow crowned as an allusion to his intelligence and divinity. In the embellishment of the piece, blue tones are highlighted, with turquoise reminiscent of lapis lazuli and gold as a symbol of wealth, all applied with great precision by hand. New lustres are combined in cobalt blue and brown, in addition to a combination of matte, gloss and satin finishes.

This High Porcelain limited edition brings a revered goddess to life, recreating a novel colour scheme of healing light, which releases ¨she who hears the lament of the world¨. According to a common Chinese belief, Kwan Yin lives on the island of Pu-tuo-shan, where her temple is surrounded by a lake of violet light which cures the ailments of all who bathe in its waters. It is said she will not rest until all human beings are freed from their suffering. The image of the goddess is decorated with innovative colours such as hues of purple and mauve and the metallic gold and aged silver of the forest flowers, never before used in a Lladró piece. For the remainder of the piece, hues in a harmonious green and yellow colour scheme have been employed.

Lladró artists portray a coiled dragon, whose fierce stare conveys all the power and strength of this mythological creature. On a technical level, the production process for this sculpture is highly complex, with all the whiskers, claws, crests, scales and other fragments painted with enamels and metallic lustres in every area. With this blue edition of the Great Dragon, the most contemporary and Westernised vision of the dragon has been depicted, increasing its decorative potential. It is one of the largest pieces in the current range.