| By Pratapaditya Pal, with contributions by Amy Heller, O. v. Hinüber, and Gautama V. Vajracharya
Himalayas: An Aesthetic Adventure accompanied a landmark exhibition of the same name, the first to include objects from all major regions of the Himalayas. This generously illustrated volume, which includes nearly two hundred of the finest works of art created between the sixth and nineteenth centuries in Tibet, Nepal, India, Kashmir, Pakistan, and Bhutan, explores the particular beauty that evolved from a spiritual tradition unique to the Himalayas.
An important contribution to Western appreciation of Himalayan art, this book surveys the artistic achievements of various Himalayan cultures—primarily within the framework of the theological requirements of the two great Asian religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, that prevail in the region to this day—and provides visual evidence of the spiritual aspirations of those who have defied the physical hardships of an arduous mountain terrain to express their soaring creative spirit.
Essays and catalogue entries investigate the cultural milieu in which the works of art—many of which originally functioned as objects of devotion or as ritual implements—were created. All works featured in the exhibition, about seventy percent of which have never been published or publicly exhibited, are illustrated in full color. Currently held in private and public collections in North America and Europe, these works include temple sculptures of stone, wood, and terracotta; cast bronzes with inlaid semiprecious stones, gilding, and pigment; colorful paintings on cloth, palm leaf, paper, and wood; and ritual objects in various media.
An appendix provides translations and interpretations of important Tibetan, Nepali, and Kashmiri inscriptions.
The Art Institute of Chicago and University of California Press, 2003
9 1/2 x 12 in.; 308 pages; approximately 240 illustrations
Hardcover $65.00 ISBN 0-520-23900-8
Softcover $39.95 ISBN 0-520-23901-6
Order online from The Art Institute Museum Shop or call 1-800-905-8537.
This book is available to booksellers at wholesale prices from University of California Press.
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