China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) / early 1400s
Mandala Base
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Mandala Base as enamel (China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) · early 1400s).
In a meditation ritual known as Offering the Universe, the disc functioned as a mandala or cosmic diagram.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this enamel as cloisonné enamel.
The museum's collection notes: A ritual object of Tibetan Buddhism, this cloisonné disc is used as the base for a three-dimensional mandala composed of miniature buildings. The decoration includes the lotus flowers and the Eight Buddhist Treasures: the wheel, the conch, the umbrella, the canopy, the lotus, the paired fish, the vase, and the endless knot.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtMandala BaseOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.