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| James Michael Howard |
Mr. Howard posted this stunning vignette on Instagram and queried whether the fu dogs on these ginger jars are supposed to be facing forward or facing each other? I for some reason previously always had them facing each other, but now prefer to have them facing forward. I am sure I have read that they should never be facing away from each other. What do you do? The Rules of Chinoiserie - LOL.
I don't know all the rules of Fu Dog placement, but they should always face the door (or if outside they should have their backs to the building and face outward to better guard it) and the raised paw should be on the inside. There's some other rules about which side the males go on and which side the females go on, but I'm fuzzy on that part.
ReplyDeleteThe female goes on the left, the male on the right.
DeleteThanks! How do you know the male from the female? Is the male with the ball and the female with the baby?
DeleteThe male holds the ball representing the world; the female holds the puppy representing a nurturing spirit.
DeleteThanks! Appreciate the response!
DeleteNot sure what's correct but I personally prefer to see them in profile because it's a visually more interesting silhouette.
ReplyDeleteI find it depends a lot on the detailing of the fu dogs - if they lack definition, it doesn't really matter the direction.
DeleteInteresting. Until now, I was not aware that there was a correct way to place Fu Dogs.
ReplyDeleteAnother of the myriad rules of chinoiserie - LOL.
DeleteI must be blind but I don't see the Fu dogs on the ginger jars. BTW, Fu dogs are actually lions. "Fu dog" is an English term and there is a type of lion statue that looks a lot like a dog. They are meant to guard a building and its inhabitants.
ReplyDeleteTrue. Glad you found them.
DeleteOK, now I see them on the very top. Facing forward is the way to go.
ReplyDeleteI was looking around my house and I have a mixture.
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