108 - NEPAL - 16th/17th century

NEPAL - 16th/17th century A four-legged yantra mandala made of repoussé gilded copper; the top is decorated with interlaced diagrams, encircled by rings representing lotus petals, a sea of blood followed by a sea of fire, and framed by four portals. The legs are shaped like lion’s paws, and the edges are adorned with openwork festoons. (One leg is missing, and one corner is broken.) 25 x 25 cm The Sanskrit term yantra, which literally means “instrument” or “tool,” takes on the meaning of a medium or vehicle in the ritual sphere, referring in religious traditions to a ritual device whose use is particularly widespread in Tantric practices. It generally takes the form of a geometric composition organized around a central point, the bindu, around which triangles, circles, polygons, and lotus petals may be arranged. These forms and their arrangement reflect a symbolic conception of the cosmos and divine power. The yantra can serve as an aid to meditation, visualization, and puja. Reference: A similar object, dating from the 17th century, is held at the Rubin Museum of Art, New York, accession No. P1999.10.7