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Large Mongolian Copper Alloy Incense Sphere
Mongolia
19th century
diameter: 25 cm
This sphere comprises two interlocking halves. It has two large images of a wrathful deity, probably Palden Lhamo, the only female among the eight great
dharmapala, amid open-cut vegetal scrollwork. She is a protectoress of Buddhist governments and is popular with the Gelugpa sect. She has a crown of five
skulls, a skull sceptre in one hand and what is probably a skull cup containing human blood in the other. She rides an extravagant snow lion. Eight images of
a smaller deity who sits on a throne of plantain leaves are also present.
References: Free-standing incense burners with similar open-work, turquoise inlay and deity plaques appear in Lipton, B., and Dorjee Ragnubs, N.,
Treasures of Tibetan Art: Collections of the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, Oxford University Press, 1996, p. 235 and 241. See also Clarke, J., ‘A
group of Sino-Mongolian Metalwork in the Tibetan Style’, Orientations, May 1992, for more information on Mongolian metalwork.
Inventory no.: 38
This Item is available - Ask about this item
Large Mongolian Copper Alloy Incense Sphere
Mongolia
19th century
diameter: 25 cm
This sphere comprises two interlocking halves. It has two large images of a wrathful deity, probably Palden Lhamo, the only female among the eight great
dharmapala, amid open-cut vegetal scrollwork. She is a protectoress of Buddhist governments and is popular with the Gelugpa sect. She has a crown of five
skulls, a skull sceptre in one hand and what is probably a skull cup containing human blood in the other. She rides an extravagant snow lion. Eight images of
a smaller deity who sits on a throne of plantain leaves are also present.
References: Free-standing incense burners with similar open-work, turquoise inlay and deity plaques appear in Lipton, B., and Dorjee Ragnubs, N.,
Treasures of Tibetan Art: Collections of the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, Oxford University Press, 1996, p. 235 and 241. See also Clarke, J., ‘A
group of Sino-Mongolian Metalwork in the Tibetan Style’, Orientations, May 1992, for more information on Mongolian metalwork.
Inventory no.: 38
This Item is available - Ask about this item
