Buddhist Art: In Praise of the Divine

Religion has been the impetus behind the greatest art traditions of the world. Buddhism is no different. The life of the Buddha, with its spectacular event of enlightenment, forms the cornerstone of the vast edifice of Buddhist art; it informs a tradition that is more than a thousand and five hundred years old. To encompass this whole living tradition is a challenging task – one that Buddhist Art: In Praise of the Divine does with academic finesse and assurance. Exploring the expression of art in the three different dimensions of architecture, sculpture, and painting, the book journeys through time, themes, and the grand structures of Buddhism to portray a unique world—a world at once simple and esoteric, grand and humble, sombre and cheerful. In doing so, Buddhist Art becomes nothing less than a pictorial chronicle of an awe-inspiring artistic tradition.