Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Early Himalayan Art

A full catalogue of the Ashmolean's collection of diverse works from the formative periods of Himalayan art, c. AD 700-1400 by Amy Heller (published Oxford, 2008).

Early Himalayan Art by Amy Heller

Foreword

The Ashmolean's Department of Eastern Art has long held a substantial collection of Buddhist sculptures, ritual objects and scroll-paintings from Nepal and Tibet. Some had belonged to the museum of the University's former Indian Institute (1897-1962), while others later came on loan from the Bodleian Library, from the gifts of the Tibetan scholar W.Y. Evans-Wentz. Many more formed part of the extensive loan collection, recently donated to the Museum, of the late E.M. Scratton.

Most of these objects belonged to the later phases of Himalayan art (c.1750-1950), and relatively few to its earlier, formative periods. Through further purchases and gifts, however, a wide range of images and artefacts from the earliest periods of Himalayan sculpture and metalwork (c.700-1400) has also gradually been acquired. Many are outstanding works of art, while others are of rare and little-studied types. It was therefore decided to publish this catalogue devoted to the Museum's early Himalayan holdings, including a few objects held on long loan as promised gifts. Although they cannot be exhibited at present because of reconstruction work at the Museum until 2009, it is intended that virtually all of these remarkable objects will be on permanent display when our new Indian and Himalayan galleries reopen.

We are indebted to Amy Heller, a well-known specialist in Tibetan art and history, for writing this book for the Museum, and to David Gowers and his colleagues for their photographic work. We are above all grateful to Neil Kreitman for his generous support for this project and for his valued advice at each stage of its development.

Christopher Brown
Director

August 2007

Notice

Object information may not accurately reflect the actual contents of the original publication, since our online objects contain current information held in our collections database. Click on 'buy this publication' to purchase printed versions of our online publications, where available, or contact the Jameel Study Centre to arrange access to books on our collections that are now out of print.

© 2013 University of Oxford - Ashmolean Museum