id: 149445 accession number: 1978.9 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1978.9 updated: 2023-08-23 22:37:15.193000 Ritual Weapons, early 1400s. Sino-Tibetan, Derge School, Yongle period (1403-1427). Iron alloy with gold and silver inlay; overall: 40.4 cm (15 7/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1978.9 title: Ritual Weapons title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: early 1400s creation date earliest: 1400 creation date latest: 1425 current location: 237 Himalayan creditline: John L. Severance Fund copyright: --- culture: Sino-Tibetan, Derge School, Yongle period (1403-1427) technique: iron alloy with gold and silver inlay department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art collection: Tibetan Art type: Metalwork find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: Overall: 40.4 cm (15 7/8 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: inscription: Inlaid "Yung-lo" mark (1403-1425) in gold at tope of handle above snake's head. translation: remark: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: Year in Review: 1978 opening date: 1979-02-13T05:00:00 Year in Review: 1978. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 13-March 18, 1979). --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE --- fun fact: digital description: wall description: Ceremonial weaponry was used in tantric rituals to combat obstacles to enlightenment, such as ignorance, delusions, and selfishness. In 1407 a high-ranking Tibetan monastic patriarch visited the emperor of the Ming dynasty, known as Yongle. The Yongle emperor presented him with a number of gifts, of which these implements were probably a component, since the axe bears his identifying inscription in a cartouche. Imperial Chinese workmanship is noted in the lush rendering of the lion heads from which the blades emerge, the calligraphic serpentine forms, and the cloud motifs. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS Huntington, John C., Dina Bangdel, and Robert A. F. Thurman. The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art. Chicago: Serindia Publications, 2003. page number: 366-369 url: --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1978.9/1978.9_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1978.9/1978.9_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1978.9/1978.9_full.tif