Buddhist Sculpture in Clay: Early Western Himalayan Art, Late 10th to Early 13th Centuries

Luczanits (Buddhist art, U. of Vienna, Austria) draws on extensive research, including numerous visits to the many temples he documents in the Himalayas in this beautifully illustrated and very thorough survey of clay Buddhist sculpture there. The text is divided into sections that provide an initial overview, a survey of Buddhist temples containing clay sculpture, a comparison of the sculpture, and a brief look at later examples. The sculpture are described in situ, with attention to their condition, appearance, decoration, grouping, and date. The traditions associated with the various temples and sculpture are described briefly. In comparing the sculpture, Luczanits considers details of iconography, styles and composition, ornamentation a nd frames, and construction techniques. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)