San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum will install two 800 pound Japanese bronze lion sculptures on granite plinths outside the Larkin Street entrance Monday.
The sculptures were recently acquired by the museum through a donation from supporter Marsha Vargas Handley, in memory of Raymond G. Handley, museum officials said.
Dating to the 19th century, they are similar to the guardian lions often placed outside Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.
Both the lions’ size-nearly five feet tall and six feet long-and material are unusual, officials said. Few bronze guardian lions survive from before World War II.
The installation will take place Monday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
