How to Read Buddhist Art

How to Read Buddhist Art provides an essential introduction to the evolution of Buddhist imagery from its origins in India to China, Japan, and South Asia, examining sixty seminal works and offering insight into the rich iconography, technical virtuosity, and social and political climate of the time.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 136 pages
Publication date: 03 January 2020
Publisher: Metropolitan Museum of Art

For over two millennia, magnificent works of art have been crafted to encapsulate the core principles of Buddhist philosophy, which emerged and transformed as its practice spread from India to East Asia and beyond. How to Read Buddhist Art offers a comprehensive introduction to this intricate visual tradition, catering to a broad audience by exploring sixty pivotal masterpieces. This book delves into the origins of representations of the Buddha in India, tracing the evolution of Buddhist art as the religion spread across Asia. It elucidates how Buddhist philosophy influenced artistic creations and practices across cultural boundaries. Reliquaries, sculptures, and paintings produced in China, the Himalayas, Japan, Korea, and South and Southeast Asia offer a profound insight into the rich iconography of Buddhism, showcasing the technical mastery of their makers and the socio-political contexts in which they were created. Accompanied by stunning photographs of the artworks, detailed maps, and a comprehensive glossary of major Buddhist deities, this book creates an engaging and informative environment for readers, regardless of their prior knowledge of Buddhism, to delve deeper into the art associated with its practices and representations. Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

Weight: 654g
Dimension: 208 x 267 x 12 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781588396730