Tibetan Torgam or Chosum Altar Cabinet
This Tibetan torgam or chosum altar cabinet is estimated to be in excess of 200 years old. It is part of a particular class of cabinets called torgam,…
Journal
Peoples, deities and the objects they made: notes on the cultures behind the collection.
Jade Teacup with Dragon Motif
Dragon images date back to Chinese Neolithic stone carvings. Dragons are described as the embodiment of yang principles of heaven, spring, change and creative energy.
Dongson Rain Drum or Frog Kha Drum
Forged and found in Thailand, “rain” drums have been found in most other countries in Southeast Asia and as far away as Indonesia, known as frog or kha…
Bridge Watcher Figure on Elephant
Bridge Watchers are wooden Nepalese figures typically found in a classic canon, hands meeting in meditation while they gaze face forward.
Seated Figure of Vasundhara
Vasundhara is a deity found in both the Hindu and Buddhist pantheon, particularly in Nepal. In Hinduism she is considered the goddess of wealth along with another deity…
Madonna Statue from French Colonial Vietnam
By the 1820s, the Catholic church once again established itself in Vietnam as French Indochina. Persecutions had taken place under the rule of Emperor Minh Hang, known as…
Mahakala Incense Burner
Mahakala is a fierce protector of Buddhism. Mahakala is most often depicted as a spiritual protector, who vanquishes fear, hate and jealousy.
Kuba Cloth or Tcaka Dance Skirt
Kuba cloth has a unique, geometric style. Some say the designs found on Kuba cloth are based on the tribal scarification patterns of the Kuba people themselves.
Lacquering of Chinese Vernacular Furniture
Classical Chinese furniture emphasized the natural beauty of expensive hardwoods, which were often waxed to give a glossy, resistant surface. Woods such as Rosewood, Zitan, Zelkova, and Hunghuali…
Ladakh Ceremonial Attire
Ladakh, today a part of Northern India, is the largest Tibetan refugee area in the world. This is because Ladakh continued to look to Tibet for religious inspiration…