작품 상세

Dimensions: Height 6,3 cm Wide 5,2 cm Depth 0,5 cm Weight: 67,2 grams This finely cast gilt-bronze plaque displays a circular medallion of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac arranged around a central square filled with auspicious inscriptions and surrounded by the Eight Trigrams (bagua). Above the central field rises a ferocious dragon mask, its curling mane integrated into the intricate border of scrolls and auspicious emblems. The outer rim is adorned with a string of pearls, framing the entire composition. The reverse bears a four-character inscription in regular script reading Da Ming Yongle nian zhi (Made in the Yongle reign of the Great Ming), clearly situating the object within one of the most important reigns of the Ming dynasty, known for its refined bronze works and Buddhist ritual implements. Such zodiac plaques were not only decorative but also imbued with deep cosmological meaning. The twelve zodiac animals represented the cyclical nature of time, while the trigrams symbolized balance and harmony within the Daoist cosmology. Combined with the dragon, emblem of imperial power and protection, the plaque functioned as both a talismanic object and an emblem of imperial authority.

재료

Bronze