Auspicious Animal Statue

This animal statue, which was housed in Changdeokgung Palace, the Palace of Illustrious Virtue, is assumed to be part of the railing of the court staircase. When constructing a stone staircase, stone statues of haetae(a mythical unicorn lion) or dragon were often placed on the corner of the stairs at an angle. The appearance of the statue indicates that this animal statue was a cornerstone. Since this kind of animal statue was usually installed outside of a building, most were made of stone. However, this statue is made of wood. The material and traces of paint on the surface suggest that this statue was installed on an internal stairs.