"Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet" Ulrich von Schroeder First publication of 1100 sculptures recently discovered in Tibetan monastic collections Volume One - India & Nepal 655 pages with 766 illustrations (749 colour, 17 half-tone); 34.5 x 24 x 6 cm; bound with slip-case Volume Two - Tibet & China 675 pages with 987 illustrations (949 colour, 38 half-tone); 34.5 x 24 x 6 cm; bound with slip-case includes maps, glossary, bibliography, chronological tables and extensive index ISBN 962-7049-07-7; Hong Kong: Visual Dharma Publications Ltd., 2001 [limited & numbered edition] 1'200 € for the two volumes

"Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet" Ulrich von Schroeder

Unsuspected by the outside world, the dark chapels and storerooms of Tibet's temples and monasteries continue to shelter a vast number of ancient Buddhist sculptures in a diversity of styles hitherto unimagined. Until now, these Tibetan monastic collections have remained almost entirely unpublished. As demonstrated by the material that has come out of Tibet in the last fifty years, these institutions served as depositories not only of sculptures manufactured on the plateau, but encompass images from every region of the Himalayas, including Nepal, in addition to North-Western and North-Eastern India, and China. It was the Buddhist art from these areas which had such a strong impact on the development of the art of Tibet, and many of the sculptures published here add greatly to our understanding of this complex relationship. The more than 1100 images illustrated in these two volumes represent the long overdue publication of the most important sculptures remaining in Tibet. Given the enormous amount of material that had to be sifted through, not to mention the almost insurmountable difficulties in gaining access to them, it is not surprising that it took eighteen years and fourteen trips to Tibet to complete their preliminary documentation and photography. Highlights of the publication include a previously entirely unknown group of images dating to the first propagation of Buddhism in Tibet during the Imperial Period (c. 600-842 AD), in addition to metal sculptures that can be attributed to the semi-mythical kingdom of Zhang Zhung, which according to ancient sources once flourished in Western Tibet. Organised both chronologically and according to place of origin, the images are arranged in seventeen chapters. Each chapter is prefaced by an essay introducing the historical and cultural background from which the sculptures emerged, while each of the images in the subsequent catalogue is accompanied by a detailed textual entry which is the product of over a decade of research by the author and a team of consultant specialists in the iconography and epigraphy of Buddhist metal sculptures. Of great artistic and scholarly interest, the sculptures in these two volumes fill out much of the landscape of Tibet's artistic heritage already known to us, while charting a great deal of territory few even suspected existed. Buddhist Sculptures in Tibet is an indispensable reference work for any scholar, collector and dealer in the field of Asian art, not to mention those directly involved with the art of the Buddhist world.

Volume One - India & Nepal Contents

I. North-Western India: Greater Area of Gandhâra, Swat & Pamir   - Metal Sculptures        Plates 1-11 II. North-Western India: Greater Area of Kashmir & sPu 'rangs-Gu ge   - Metal Sculptures - Greater Area of Kashmir - The Patola-Shahi Dynasty of the Gilgit Valley - Himachal Pradesh & sPu 'rangs-Gu ge Kingdom of Western Tibet - Brass Images from the Collection of Nâgarâja (Nâ ga râ dza)        Plates 12-66 III. North-Eastern India: Pâla & Related Styles (circa 750-1200 AD)   - Metal Sculptures        Plates 67-110 IV. North-Eastern India: Pâla & Related Styles (circa 750-1200 AD)   - Models of Temples and Stûpas - N.-E. Indian or Burmese Wood Model of the Mahâbodhi Temple        Plates 111 - Chinese Ming Dynasty Wood Model of the Mahâbodhi Temple        Plates 112 - N.-E. Indian or Burmese Stone & Wood Models of the Mahâbodhi Temple        Plates 113-115 - N.-E. Indian or Burmese Stone & Wood Models of Temples at Bodhgayâ        Plates 116-117 - N.-E. Indian or Burmese Wood Model of a Pâla Period Buddhist Temple        Plates 118 - The Cult of the Stûpa        Plates 119 V. North-Eastern India: Pâla & Related Styles (circa 750-1200 AD)   - Miniature Stone-Carvings - Dark Grey Pâla Style Stone-Carvings Excavated in India - Yellowish-Beige Pâla Style Stone-Carvings Excavated in India - Dark Grey Pâla Style Stone-Carvings of Unknown Origin - Yellowish-Beige Pâla Style Stone-Carvings of Unknown Origin - Indian Pâla Style Miniature Stone-Carvings in Tibet        Plates 120-127 - The 'Major Events in the Life of Buddha Sâkyamuni'         Plates 128-131   - The Decline of Buddhism in North-East India VI. Nepal: Licchavi & Transitional Period (circa 400-879 AD)   - Wood Carvings in the Jo khang/gTsug lag khang of Lhasa - Doorway to the "Amitâbha Chapel"        Plates 132 - Doorway to the "Protector Maitreya Chapel"        Plates 133 - Doorway of the "Dharma King Meditation Cave"        Plates 134 - Doorway to the "Padmasambhava Chapel"         Plates 135   VII. Nepal: Licchavi & Transitional Period (circa 400-1200 AD)   - Metal Sculptures - Technical Aspects of Nepalese Metal Sculptures - Nepalese Sculptures in Tibetan Monastic Collections        Plates 136-169 VIII. Nepal: The Early Malla Period (circa 1200-1482 AD)   - Metal Sculptures        Plates 170-173   Chronological Lists, Glossary, Bibliography, Index, Maps

Volume Two - Tibet & China Contents

IX. Sources and Development of Tibetan Art   - Stylistic Sources of Tibetan Art and Formation of Styles - Tibetan Classifications of Metal Sculptures According to Styles   - Târanâtha (1575-1635) - Padma dkar po (1526-1592) - Anonymous Tibetan Text Published by G. Tucci - 'Jigs med gling pa (1729-1798) X. Technical and Ritual Aspects of Metal Sculptures   - Cire Perdue Casting Technique - Consecration and Worship of Buddhist Sculptures - Tibetan Casting Centres - Famous Tibetan Artists - Especially Sculptors XI. Tibetan Literary References to Buddhist Sculptures XII. Tibetan Imperial Period (circa 600-842 AD)   - The Yar lung Dynasty of Central Tibet - Tibet Prior to the Introduction of Buddhism - The First Propagation of Buddhism in Tibet (sNga dar) - Buddhist Art During the Tibetan Imperial Period - Early Tibetan Clay Sculptures - Early Tibetan Rock-Carvings and Stone Sculptures - Early Tibetan Metal Sculptures - Tibetan Copper & Silver Statues of the Yar lung Dynasty        Plates 174-182 - The Zhang zhung Kingdom of Western Tibet        Plates 183-189 - Sogdian Style Silver Wine Jar        Plates 190 - Tibetan Imperial Period Revival School of the 10th Karma pa        Plates 191-194 - The Cult of Ârya-Avalokitesvara ('Phags pa sPyan ras gzigs)        Plates 195-196 XIII. Tibetan Monastic Period (circa 978 AD Onwards)   - The Second Propagation of Buddhism in Tibet (Phyi dar) - Tibetan Clay Sculptures - Clay Sculptures in the Po ta la: Chos rgyal sGrub phug        Plates 197-198 - Clay Sculptures at sNye thang Monastery Plates        Plates 199-200 - Clay Sculptures at rGyal rtse: Lam 'bras lha khang Plates        Plates 201-204 XIV. Tibetan Monastic Period (circa 978 AD Onwards)   - Rock-Carvings & Stone Sculptures - Miniature Stone-Carvings        Plates 205-214 XV. Tibetan Monastic Period (circa 978 AD Onwards)   - Gilt Copper Sculptures - 'Nepalese Schools in Tibet'        Plates 215-241 - Wood Carvings - 'Nepalese Schools in Tibet' Plates        Plates 242-245 XVI. Tibetan Monastic Period (circa 978 AD Onwards)   - Gilt Copper Sculptures - 'Tibetan Schools'        Plates 246-281 XVII. Tibetan Monastic Period (circa 978 AD Onwards)   - Brass Sculptures - 'North-East Indian Styles in Tibet'        Plates 282-293 XVIII. Tibetan Monastic Period (circa 978 AD Onwards)   - Brass Sculptures - 'Tibetan Schools'        Plates 294-336 XIX. Early Chinese Metal Sculptures          Plates 337-342 XX. Chinese Metal Sculptures of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1643 AD)          Plates 343-363