A GOLD-INLAID SILVER AMULET BOX, GAU, TIBET, 18TH-19TH CENTURY

拍品描述

A GOLD-INLAID SILVER AMULET BOX, GAU, TIBET, 18TH-19TH CENTURY Finely worked, of circular form with a gently domed silver cover framed by beaded rims, the front centered by a reticulated dharmachakra set within a dense field of scrolling foliage and four blossoms. Interspersed among the foliate scrolls are gilt-inset plaques in the form of a kirtimukha to the bottom, two triratnas to the sides, and a conch shell above. The interior opens to reveal a one-eyed dzi agate, regarded as a powerful protective and auspicious stone. The narrow sides are fitted with rectangular cord brackets for suspension, laced with thick leather cords and secured by a small coral- and turquoise-inlaid vajra on one side, and with a copper coin suspended from an ornate bracket to the other. Dimensions: Height 11 cm (excl. cord beads), 15 cm (incl. cord beads) Gau are sacred receptacles serving many purposes in Tibetan daily life, including as a sign of social status and rank. They are most commonly constructed from metal repoussé and made according to three different sizes. The small and medium sized gaus are portable, while the largest of gaus were often placed within a home or temple. All hold sacred and auspicious objects including tsatsa which can often be seen through a viewing window. Their purpose, as stated by Rhie and Thurman, “...served as a site where the wisdom emanation of that enlightened being could be invoked and communicated with.” (A Shrine for Tibet, New York, 2009, p. 255) Literature comparison: Compare a related silver amulet box with fabric storage case, Tibet, 11.7 cm wide, in the Asian Art Museum, Smithsonian Institution, accession number S2018.52a-c.

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