Buddha: Radiant Awakening - Tapa blanda

Buddhism, a faith of perpetual evolution and regeneration, has flourished for over two thousand years and has been embraced by peoples of many cultures. Veneration for the Buddha in all his myriad forms has inspired glorious imagery that celebrates his beliefs. This magnificent book presents and discusses works of art from many countries that portray the life of Buddha and address the different ideas that have shaped the religion through the ages to the present day.

Buddha: Radiant Awakening provides illustrations of paintings, sculpture, metalwork, manuscripts, mandalas, and textiles, with images that range from early Indian sculptures to Japanese and Chinese scrolls, from a Tibetan tangka to a contemporary set of panels created from digital media. Each image is explained, and longer essays by authorities in the field discuss such topics as the life of Buddha, Buddhist cosmology, Buddha lands, and Buddhas of the past, present, and future. A comprehensive glossary is also included.

Lavishly illustrated with some 150 full-color photographs, this book offers a compelling example of the enduring fascination with and power of Buddha.

Jackie Menzies is head curator of Asian Art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia.