Tibet is a nation with a cultural and religious tradition that reaches back for thousands of years. During its long history, and what makes this country truly unique, is the poeple's combining of daily and religious life. In Tibet, it is not only the monks and nuns who spend their days meditating and reading scripture but also the farmers and mothers whose everyday begins and ends with a quiet journey towards spiritual understanding and enlightenment. So, when putting together the Tibet Collection, the artwork we selected could not help but follow this theme; combining the spiritual with the secular.

And in Tibet, art and religion go hand in hand. Tibetan art is largely anonymous, and this custom of artistic anonymity is grounded in the Buddhist belief in working toward the elimination of the individual ego. The Tibetan attitude to a work of art is that when it is successfully completed it has an existence of its own and an inherent power to help the viewer come to spiritual realisation. It ceases to be the property of the artist when it leaves his studio.

Tibet is known for its many types of craftsmanship: sculpture, weaving, painting, and carving. Though many spiritual objects are commissioned by monestaries and are created under strict guidelines of form and balance, decorative arts are also very popular. Tibetan artisans are highly skilled and love to make intricate, elaborate pieces of silver and bronze as well as use exuberant colors in woven textiles. Silk brocades and richly worked robes, pearls and precious stones, ritual vessels and incense burners, gilt images and lacquered goods, all found their way into the homes of the aristocracy and into the monasteries. Wood is also widely used, intricately carved for entrances to temples and for interior pillars and in covers for scriptures in monastery libraries.

Unfortunately today much of the Tibetan culture is in danger of becoming extinct due to the take over of the Chinese government. Tibetans are not allowed the freedom to practice and live their lives according to their own traditions, but are constantly being squelched by the Chinese. The non-violent people of Tibet, along with their exiled leader His Holiness, the Dali Lama, ask that leaders of the Western World help in their fight for freedom from the Chinese, lest their traditions and people die off.

We hope that you enjoy this collection of antique and contemporary craftmanship from Tibet and its surrounding Buddhist neighbors. Let these objects bring a sense of spiritual understanding to your home and open up yet another door on your journey. For more information about Tibet, please visit our links page.