id: 149447 accession number: 1978.9.2 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1978.9.2 updated: 2022-02-24 10:00:20.726000 Ritual Mace, early 1400s. Sino-Tibetan, Derge School, Yongle period (1403-1427). Iron alloy with gold inlay; overall: 38.5 cm (15 3/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1978.9.2 title: Ritual Mace title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: early 1400s creation date earliest: 1400 creation date latest: 1425 current location: creditline: John L. Severance Fund copyright: --- culture: Sino-Tibetan, Derge School, Yongle period (1403-1427) technique: iron alloy with gold inlay department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art collection: Tibetan Art type: Metalwork find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: Overall: 38.5 cm (15 3/16 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art opening date: 2003-10-05T00:00:00 The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA (organizer) (October 5, 2003-January 11, 2004); Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, OH (February 8-May 9, 2004). title: Defining Yongle: Imperial Art in Early Fifteenth-Century China opening date: 2005-04-01T00:00:00 Defining Yongle: Imperial Art in Early Fifteenth-Century China. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY (organizer) (April 1-July 10, 2005). title: Focus: Tantra in Buddhist Art opening date: 2013-05-05T00:00:00 Focus: Tantra in Buddhist Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (May 5-September 15, 2013). --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS * Los Angeles County Museum of Art (10/5/2003 - 1/11/2004) and Columbus Museum of Art (2/8/2004 - 5/9/2004): "The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditaional Art," exh. cat. no. 108, p. 366-367.
Metropolitan Museum of Art (4/1/2005-7/10/2005): "Defining Yongle: Imperial Art in Fifteenth-Century China"


The Cleveland Museum of Art (05/05/2013 - 09/15/2013); "Focus:Tantra in Buddhist Art" --- PROVENANCE --- fun fact: digital description: wall description: Ceremonial weaponry was used in tantric rituals to combat obstacles to enlightenment, such as ignorance and uncontrolled passions. 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 the axe, mace, flaying knife, incense burner (1983.154), and the gilt bronze Virupa (1972.96) appear to have been a part, since the sculpture and the axe bear 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/1978.9.2/1978.9.2_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1978.9.2/1978.9.2_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1978.9.2/1978.9.2_full.tif