The Dragon's Gift: The Sacred Arts of Bhutan

The Dragon's Gift: The Sacred Arts of Bhutan

"The Dragon's Gift offers a rare opportunity to introduce, to the wider international audience, some of the most sacred Buddhist images of Bhutan. From the wealth of material surveyed, the organizers of the exhibition have selected over one hundred objects of superior aesthetic achievement and deep religious significance, the vast majority of which have never before been seen in the West. Nearly all of the works of art presented in this catalogue are from active temples and monasteries and remain in ritual use. Most of the items are painted or textile thangkas or gilt bronze sculptures which date primarily from the 17th to the 19th centuries - a golden age in the Buddhist arts of Bhutan. Ranging from depictions of Tantric deities to individualized portraits of Buddhist masters, the exhibition and catalogue present outstanding works of art with a wide iconographic scope. For the Buddhist people of Bhutan, these sacred items are conceived as supports along the journey to enlightenment, and are of vital spiritual significance. Complementing the presentation of sacred works of art is the documentation of the ancient Cham dances of Bhutan, to which the dance preservation team was given privileged entree. Having documented over three hundred hours of sacred and secular dances, they have made a first assay of one of the few surviving treasures of the trans-Himalayan movement tradition. These differing approaches to the visual and moving arts provide further insight into the unique experience of Buddhism in Bhutan. A brief sampling of the variety of extant dance lineages - some many centuries old - is included on the DVD contained within the catalogue."--Publisher's website.

Chicago : Serindia Publications

Edited by Terese Tse Bartholomew and John Johnston

The dragon's gift: The story of an exhibition / Stephen Little -- Land of the peaceful dragon: past and present -a brief history / Lopön Pemala -- Engaging Buddhist art along the path to enlightenment / Khenpo Phuntsok Tashi -- The art of Bhutan / Terese Tse Bartholomew -- Portraiture in ritural context: the Zhabdrung Ku Chö ceremony / John Johnston -- Ogyen Pema Lingpa (1450-1521), his life and legacy / Karma Phuntsho -- Portrayals of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in Bhutanese painting: iconography and common groupings of the great unifier of Bhutan / David Jackson -- Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye (1638-1696), artist ruler of 17th century Bhutan / John A. Ardussi -- The diplomatic career of Jamgön Ngawang Gyaltsen: great 18th century Bhutanese Siddha and artist / Yonten Dargye and Per K. Sorensen -- Sacred architectural heritage in Bhutan: traditional approaches and emerging concepts for conservation / Dorji Yangki -- The conservation of Bhutanese Thangkas / Ephraim Jose -- General technical observations on Bhutanese sculpture / Mark Fenn.

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