The Ushnisha convex mirror is composed of spokes of clear, gilded hand-cast resin and Venetian glass. The spikes are cast from bronze ushnishas in our own collection. The ushnisha is the flame emanating from the top of traditional southern Asian Buddha sculptures. They represent the radiating wisdom of the Buddha’s enlightenment. Stylistically ushnishas vary from region to region throughout time. Our attraction to them was how modern they looked; sometimes looking like a budding lotus flower and some looking like an art-deco hood ornament.
Although the ushnishas are made of clear resin I have gold leafed the back of them. The gilding gives each flame an almost iridescent shimmer.
This mirror is about 24 inches in diameter and is currently in my studio pending being sent to one of my showrooms.
Jewelry for walls.
The ushnisha at the top of the Buddha can be seen in a number of ways. Its flame like character can be seen as an explosion of the energy of enlightenment emanating from the Buddha. It an also be seen as a combustion of departing from the world and entering nirvana. The ushnisha can also be seen as the sheer radiance of an elevated soul.
Bronze Sukhothai style Buddha, 15th century.
Some bronze ushnishas from our collection.
Wat Suthat in Bangkok was built in the early nineteenth century. The outer wall of the cloister is lined with more than 150 Buddha images. The statues are in various states of repair, since each is “adopted” by a patron to make merit for a departed loved one, who may in fact be interred in the base or the wall next to the Buddha. In late 2007, there was a project under way to re-gild each of the statues.
You must be logged in to post a comment.