
12th century
Bronze
Buddhism flourished in Korea during the Goryeo dynasty, and Buddhist themes and symbols came to embellish many artifacts. The overall shape of this mirror is based on a lotus blossom, a Buddhist symbol of purity. The scene probably depicts a spirit boat carrying the souls of the dead to the afterlife. Dragons cavort in a cosmic sea and one of them blows the boat along its way. The inscription provides a clue that the image is about transition from life to afterlife: “Clear, vast, luminous sky” (Hwangbi changcheon 煌丕昌天). Gallery G206 Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation
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