Pair of Book Covers for a Buddhist Text

North India and Tibet

Not on view

These unique, large-scale book covers illustrate the complex interrelationship between the Buddhist world of eastern India and that of Tibet during the "second diffusion," when Buddhism in Tibet was purified by renewed contact with Indian Buddhism. They are also fascinating as prototypical objects that help to explain the format and decoration of many Tibetan painted book covers. Nothing like them has survived in India, and they present a new facet of eastern Indian art of the Pala period.

Pair of Book Covers for a Buddhist Text, Wood with traces of paint; decorative mounts of silver with gilt semiprecious stones, and gilt-copper alloy, North India and Tibet

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Pair of Book Covers for a Buddhist Text, Wood with traces of paint; decorative mounts of silver with gilt semiprecious stones, and gilt-copper alloy, North India and Tibet
Pair of Book Covers for a Buddhist Text, Wood with traces of paint; decorative mounts of silver with gilt semiprecious stones, and gilt-copper alloy, North India and Tibet
Pair of Book Covers for a Buddhist Text, Wood with traces of paint; decorative mounts of silver with gilt semiprecious stones, and gilt-copper alloy, North India and Tibet
Pair of Book Covers for a Buddhist Text, Wood with traces of paint; decorative mounts of silver with gilt semiprecious stones, and gilt-copper alloy, North India and Tibet
Pair of Book Covers for a Buddhist Text, Wood with traces of paint; decorative mounts of silver with gilt semiprecious stones, and gilt-copper alloy, North India and Tibet
Pair of Book Covers for a Buddhist Text, Wood with traces of paint; decorative mounts of silver with gilt semiprecious stones, and gilt-copper alloy, North India and Tibet
Pair of Book Covers for a Buddhist Text, Wood with traces of paint; decorative mounts of silver with gilt semiprecious stones, and gilt-copper alloy, North India and Tibet

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