For more than 150 years, a Chinese Stone Lion has been prominently displayed on the campus of Union College in Schenectady, New York. Gifted to the College by an alumnus in 1874, the work is a venerable stone guardian lion from late imperial China. Since the late 19th century, the sculpture was routinely coated in paint as part of various campus events and student rivalries in the area. In 2021, Union College began the process to conserve and partially restore the lion to its original form. It is now displayed on the ground floor of the Peter Irving Wold Center with an accompanying exhibit about its history and conservation.
This site provides historical context, photos and other resources that document the story of Union’s Stone Lion and its conservation.
Before & After Restoration:
Drag the red slider left and right to reveal the before and after condition of the Chinese Stone Lion!
