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Details
- Place where the work was made
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Tibet
- Cultural origin
- Sino-Tibetan style
- Date
- 16th century-18th century
- Media category
- Sculpture
- Materials used
- blackened iron with gilding
- Dimensions
- 43.8 x 7.9 x 2.5 cm
- Signature & date
Not signed. Not dated.
- Credit
- Bequest of Alex Biancardi 2000
- Location
- Not on display
- Accession number
- 34.2000
- Copyright
- Share
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About
This long-handled iron fire spoon is beautifully decorated in gilt with an elaborate design of 'vajra' and phoenix. In Buddhist symbolism, the 'vajra' symbolises the supreme power of compassion and the phoenix symbolises the female power, and is also a clue to the Sino-Tibetan origins of this object.
The fire spoon is used as a ritual implement during 'homa' or fire-sacrifice to make oblations or burnt offerings, usually of ghee, into the sacred fire. The fire sacrifice is a ritual by which the gods may be invoked on important occasions. During 'homa' these fire spoons are used in pairs: a less elaborately designed spoon is used to pour the offering into the fire and a more elaborate one such as this functions as a receptacle; the first spoon is thought of as male and this second, regarded as female. This is in keeping with the Tantric idea of the inseparability of masculine and feminine principles - in the Tantric Buddhist context, the inseparability of wisdom (female) and compassion (male).
Asian Art Department, AGNSW, 17 April 2001
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Places
Where the work was made
Tibet
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Exhibition history
Shown in 1 exhibition
Conversations through the Asian collections, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 25 Oct 2014–13 Mar 2016