Book: Buddhism : A Journey Through Art
Author: R.M. Woodward
Published by: Roli
Price: Rs 2,955
The first images of the Buddha only appeared hundreds of years after his death. But since then, art traditions worldwide have been deeply influenced and enriched by Buddhist teachings and principles. BUDDHISM: A JOURNEY THROUGH ART (Roli,
Rs 2,955) by R.M. Woodward is a handsomely produced volume that brings together these diverse strands of art — artefacts, sculptures, paintings, murals and so on — spanning over 2,000 years.
Rare works, such as a lithograph of the Buddha achieving enlightenment by the French artist, Odilon Redon (picture, top centre), or a satirical take on conventional depictions of the death of the Buddha from 19th-century Japan (picture, right), present an alternative vision of Buddhism and how art played an important role in the dissemination of this faith. Each of the artworks documented in this book is an instrument of enlightenment.
