The Sacred Art Of Tibet

Illustrates, explains and celebrates 241 examples of Tibetan sacred art of the 9th to 12th centuries. The authors discuss the religious meaning and use of tangkas, Buddhist iconography and the aesthetics of tangka paintings, sculpture and mandalas.

In the Tibetan highlands Buddhism flowered in the form known as Lamaism, and the presence of religious art in Tibet has been universal, extending even to remote and secluded regions. This comprehensive treatise examines this artistic heritage, aided by copious color plates and line drawings. The iconography of the great Buddhist masters and saints is presented and the mystic and revelatory functions of Tibetan religious art is elucidated.

For centuries the priciples of Buddhism have inspired Tibetan artists to create some of the world's most sophisticated, profound and beautiful art. Tangkas, paintings, sculptures and mandalas provide a window on the enlightened realm of pure wisdom, the perfected universe that represents the ultimate goal of Buddhism.