The Arts of Kashmir

New York, NY: Asia Society, 2007. Softcover. VG- (my have inscription of previous owner on title page, slight wear to corners, all pages clear and intact). Glossy brown, color-illustrated wraps with French flaps. 224 pp. with bw frontispiece and 233 (mostly) color figures. Catalogue from the exhibitions held at the Asia Socity and Museum, October 2007 to January 2008 and the Cincinnati Art Museum, June through September 2008. Included are examples of architecture, sculpture, painting, calligraphy, decorative arts, textiles, and supporting essays as well as essays on the history and religion of Kashmir. With maps, index, etc. A beautifully-presented catalogue with rich color images.
"An important cultural bridge between the Indian subcontinent and regions to the west and east for over two millennia, the Kashmir Valley was a vibrant hub of intellectual activity for its Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim populations. Multiple cultural influences have fostered a unique artistic environment of diverse aesthetics, witnessed in this landmark exhibition of 130 sumptuous objects of exemplary quality, dating from the 2nd to the 20th centuries. The Arts of Kashmir comprises works of Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic art, including sculpture, painting, and calligraphy loaned from collections in the U.S., Europe, and India. Many of the objects have never been seen outside of India; in some cases they have never been exhibited or published anywhere. To provide a sense of the broad artistic contributions of this famously lush and beautiful region, the exhibition includes examples of stone and bronze sculptures and manuscript paintings, in addition to the fine examples of papier-mache, carpets, shawls, and embroidery for which Kashmir is renowned." - Publisher.