Pillow End Decorated with an Elephant and Many Animals
Original Language Title明 白象百獸方枕罩端
CultureChinese
DateMing dynasty (1368-1644)
MediumNeedle loop embroidery on silk damask
DimensionsOverall: 14 1/4 × 14 1/4 inches (36.2 × 36.2 cm)
Credit LinePurchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust
Object number41-15/8
On View
Not on viewCollections
Gallery LabelThe white elephant is a sacred being in Buddhist scriptures. This elephant with multiple tusks wears a saddle, indicating that it is the vehicle of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra. The Bodhisattva protects believers and transmits the Sutras, the Buddha's words. Surrounding birds, insects, deer, and sheep evoke a harmonious Buddhist world.
This fragment, embroidered using a technique often used in textiles for Buddhist temples, may have been part of a cushion cover for a sacred space.
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