A TIBETAN GILT AND PAINTED-WOOD MANUSCRIPT COVER

A TIBETAN GILT AND PAINTED-WOOD MANUSCRIPT COVER
13TH/14TH CENTURY

The interior carved in relief with Buddha Shakyamuni and four other deities, Manjushri, Prajnaparamita, Sadaksari Lokiteshvara and Vajrapani, linked by gilt foliate scrolls within a painted border of circular designs, the reverse carved with a scrolling design within a beaded border, with a metal stand, 11.2cm high and 51.5cm wide. (2)

Provenance: from the collection of Mr Nicholas Squire (1949-2024), Suffolk, England.

Cf. Spink, Light of Compassion: Buddhist Art from Nepal and Tibet, 1997, pp.62-67, pl.34-36 for three closely related manuscript covers dated to the 13th to 14th century.

During the era known as the Chidar, the later diffusion and revival in the late 10th century, Tibetans embarked on the monumental task of translating Indian Buddhist scriptures into their language. Thousands of Sanskrit texts were rendered into Tibetan, with much of this effort taking place during the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Painted wooden manuscript covers from this period reflect the meticulous care and reverence Tibetans devoted to their sacred texts.

十三/十四世紀 彩繪漆金木雕護經板
文殊菩薩、四臂觀音、釋迦牟尼、金剛手菩薩、般若佛母像
來源: 英國薩福克郡Nicholas Squire先生（1949-2024）收藏。