Meditation on Gallery 207

 


This gallery which is a very long narrow room contains objects relating to the East Asian Zodiac.  In this zodiac each month is represented by an animal.  Every year one animal represents the whole year and the cycle revolves every year so after twelve years it returns to the first animal.  This year is the year of the snake and many of the objects are very snakelike.  The other animals of this zodiac are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.  This use of the zodiac began in China in the third century BCE.

The year you are born corresponds to one of the animals on the zodiac.  I was born in the year of goat which is sometimes also known as the sheep.  The characteristics on this animal are supposed to be gentleness, kindness and peace and they are also supposed to be artistic.  I'm not sure I have any of these characteristics but it's nice to think that I can aspire to them. 



This dragon head, which I particularly loved seems to me fierce and determined but at the same time friendly.  For no reason I can think of while I look at this dragon I'm reminded of the dragon Fafner is Richard Wagners ring cycle who guards the gold treasure including the powerful ring.  In the end this dragon is slain by the hero Siegfried who then claims the ring. The idea that dragons can stand for both good and evil is one that has resonance at this particular moment.

Each year the Met changes this display to represent the current year.  An indication of how large the Met's collection of artwork is.

 









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