The Golden Pavilion Altar

Viewing notes

A viewer's written impression — not a buyer review or first-hand record

This pavilion-form altar is golden throughout. The whole shrine is built as a small pavilion: a roof of layered tile courses gathers upward to a point crowned by a jewel finial, and a small bell hangs from each eave corner. Columns and latticed walls enclose the body; at the front, a pair of doors stands half open, and inside, set back, stands a small golden figure, sheltered at the heart of the enclosed space. The pavilion rests on a square stepped base rising in tiers, ringed on four sides by carved balustrades, with steps descending at the front one by one. Roof, rails and stairs share a single gold, and the order of the piece comes from the roof's profile, the rhythm of the balustrade and the advance and retreat of the terraces. Such an altar is a small world of its own — made to be placed whole at the principal position of a worship space, or at the centre of a room, settling the whole layout at a glance.