On Friday I met my friend Bonnie at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. After lunch overlooking their glorious sculpture garden and lily pad covered pond, we visited the downstairs exhibit "In the Land of Snow: Buddhist art of the Himalayas."
This exhibit is the first large-scale exhibition of Himalayan Buddist art from areas around the Himalayan region. Almost all of the Museum's "thangkas" (flat field paintings) are on display plus some loans. The central focus of the exhibit is the 20 foot high "thangka" depicting the Buddha of the future, Maitreya, flaked by the Eight Dalai Lama and his tutor. This is constructed of appliqued silk. This is only the second time it has been unrolled and displayed by the museum.
The Museum informational plaque states that the Himalayas, the "abode of snow" span much of the northern Asian continent and have long connected he cultures of India, Nepal and Tibet. Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism was practiced by various group through out the area. Vajrayana Buddhism teaches that enlightenment can be achieved in a single lifetime through direction from a guru and intense and arduous practice.
Other art pieces include iconic sculptures of the Buddha and of Buddhist deities. Here are my photos of some of the art:
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| Buddha Sakyamuni, Nepal, 13th century |
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| Mandala of Chakrasamvara, Nepal, Kathmandu, 1648 opaque watercolor on cotton. |
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| Mandala of Dorje Phurba, Tibet, mid-18th century |
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| Ritual Dagger, Tibet or China, 18th century |
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| Thangka of the Buddha Maitreya (twenty feet high) |
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| Closeup |
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| Descent of the Buddha, Tibet, Kham, 19th century, opaque watercolor and gold on cotton with silk border. |
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