Artwork Page for Mandala Base

Details / Information for Mandala Base

Mandala Base

early 1400s

China, Ming dynasty

(1368–1644)
Medium
cloisonné enamel
Measurements
Diameter: 30.8 cm (12 1/8 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1987.58
Public Domain
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Location
240B Chinese Decorative Arts
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Did You Know?

In a meditation ritual known as Offering the Universe, the disc functioned as a mandala or cosmic diagram.

Description

A ritual object of Tibetan Buddhism, this cloisonné disc is used as the base for a three-dimensional mandala composed of miniature buildings. The decoration includes the lotus flowers and the Eight Buddhist Treasures: the wheel, the conch, the umbrella, the canopy, the lotus, the paired fish, the vase, and the endless knot.
A mandala base, a disk with cloisonné enamel, fine, gold metal strips, outlines enamel shapes. A central circle features radiating red, white, yellow, and blue, abstract shapes. The rest of the disk features winding vine patterns over a teal blue background, with two rings of alternating between yellow, blue, white, and red lotus flowers. In the inner ring, the base of these flowers also features wheel, conch, umbrella, canopy, lotus, paired fish, vase, and endless knot symbols.

Mandala Base

early 1400s

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

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