Base for an offering mandala used in Tibetan Buddhist rituals

Object Details

• Description

  The mandala base is a cast brass circle with a horizontal top and flat-side walls. The exterior surface is covered with a design created with enamels applied in the cloisonné technique and the interior is plain, yellow metal. The shape of the base resembles a Western cake pan, but when it is used, the base is inverted so that the decorated top faces upward and the hollow cavity is underneath. It serves as a stand, or base, to hold offerings (usually grain), which are arranged to form a mandala. Two small openings appear in the side walls of the base, which is where small rings were originally attached.

  The background color of the cloisonné is turquoise blue and the design consists of flowers, leaves, and Buddhist symbols in combinations of blue, yellow, red, white, and green. There is very little use of intermingled colors. The decorative pattern on the top consists of an open-faced lotus flower (composed of two concentric rings of ten petals), which appears at the center. The flower is surrounded by a scrolling lotus vine that supports eight lotus blossoms, each topped by one of the Eight Precious Buddhist symbols. A second ring of scrolling lotus vine, also with eight blossoms, encircles the first ring. Green leaves attached to the vine scrolls are interspersed throughout the design. A scrolling lotus vine similar to the outermost vine scroll on the top decorated the side walls of the mandala base.

• Label

  This object draws attention to the frequent interaction and gift exchange between Tibet and China in the first half of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). This colorful cloisonne object was made for a Tibetan temple to serve as the base for a three-dimensional mandala, or cosmic diagram. Worshipers would pile grain on top of the base as a holy offering. The grain was arranged inside concentric iron rings to create a tiered tower.

  The mandala base was made in China under imperial patronage as a gift for the emperor to give to visiting Tibetan lamas or prelates. The design features auspicious Buddhist symbols, including a stylized lotus flower and eight precious objects, such as a conch shell to represent the voice of Buddha and an umbrella to signify his spiritual authority.

• Provenance

  Arthur Leeper, Los Angeles [1]

  To 1998

  Anthony Carter, London, acquired from Arthur Leeper, to 1998 [2]

  From 1998

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Anthony Carter in 1998

  Notes:

  [1] According to Curatorial Note 3 in the object record.

  [2] See note 1.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Looking Out, Looking In: Art in Late Imperial China (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

  Luxury and Luminosity: Visual Culture and the Ming Court (July 3, 2004 to June 26, 2005)

  Chinese Buddhist Sculpture in New Light (April 14, 2002 to September 8, 2003)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Arthur Leeper

  Anthony Carter

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Furniture and Furnishing

• On View

  Freer Gallery 13: Looking Out, Looking In: Art in Late Imperial China

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1400s

• Name

  Leeper, Arthur, Carter, Anthony

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Stand, Art, Chinese Art, Cloisonné, Flowers, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), Lotus

• Culture

  Buddhists, Chinese

• Object Type

  Furniture, Furnishings

• On View

  Yes