186 - TIBET - 19th century

TIBET - 19th century Panel from a set of “Four Mirrors” (me long bzhi) made of steel and silver- and gold-plated copper; the border is decorated with repoussé work featuringa frieze of clouds and flames intertwined with auspicious motifs—offerings of the five senses and the three jewels (dkon mchog gsum)—and inlaid with turquoise and four turquoise and coral cabochons shaped like small flowers. The center is adorned with an appliqué of the Tibetan (bija) syllable “hrih.” Diameter: 26.5 cm. Base Provenance: - Spink & Son Ltd., London, 1999 - Christie’s, New York, March 25, 2004, lot 78 - Ian Triay Collection Exhibitions: - Monasteries and Lamas of Tibet, “La Caixa” Foundation, Madrid, Nov. 2000 – Jan. 2001 - Tibetan Rituals: Secret Visions of the Fifth Dalai Lama, Paris, MNAAG-Guimet, Nov. 2002–Feb. 2003 References: - D. Ashecaen, G. Leonov, *Visions of Perfect Worlds: Buddhist Art from the Himalayas*, Spink & Son Ltd., London, 1999, p. 77, no. 45 - R. Thurman, D. Weldon, *Sacred Symbols - The Ritual Art of Tibet*, Sotheby’s and Rossi & Rossi, New York, 1999, p. 101, no. 45 - R. Prats, et al., Monasteries and Lamas of Tibet, Madrid, “La Caixa” Foundation, 2000, p. 110, no. 35 - N. Bazin, Tibetan Rituals: Secret Visions of the Fifth Dalai Lama, Paris, MNAAG-Guimet, 2002, p. 172, cat. no. 149 - Himalayan Art Resources, item no. 205021 Oracle mirrors (me long) play an important role in the divinatory practices of Tibetan Buddhism. Used during trances of possession, they accompany oracles possessed by protective deities and facilitate communication between the human world and the supernatural world. This remarkable mirror is a testament to refined goldsmithing. Its gilded copper rim depicts a wall of flames and is embellished with coral and turquoise cabochons. The upper part is adorned with a wish-fulfilling jewel, accompanied by three small turquoise stones that may symbolize the Three Jewels of Buddhism. At the base, three human heads support a skull containing a heart, entrails, and eyes. This bloody offering belongs to the iconography of protective deities (chökyong). The reflective surface of the mirror bears the sacred syllable “Hri” at its center, notably associated with Pehar and his emanation Dorje Dragden, linked to the Nechung Monastery, near Lhasa, and who gradually, beginning in the 17th century, became an important protective deity of the Dalai Lamas. During these ceremonies, the mirror was placed on the oracle’s chest, and the oracle would strike its surface rhythmically with a ring worn on the thumb. Beyond its ritual function, the mirror is therefore a highly symbolic object: its reflective surface, its protective motifs, and the presence of the sacred syllable all help establish a connection between the oracle and the deity.