Day 5 - 21st March - Paris: Musée Guimet - Greco-Buddhist art (Part 9)
The Collection Ribaud was mainly textiles. Zzz.
Musée Guimet library
Covers of a manuscript of Pancaraksa tantra. Nepal. 12th-13th c.
Mask of Siva Bhairava. Nepal. 16th-start of 17th c.
This was supposed t be Shiva in his terrible forrm, but it was a smiling Shiva wearing a tiara. Maybe that made it even more terrible.
At Nepali festivals they spew beer from these things.
Visnu Visvarupa. Nepal. Start of 19th c.
Then there was all the wonderful Greco-Buddhist art.
Emblemata of Plaster, medallions in relief in a Helenistic theme. Afghanistan, the "Treasure of Begram". 1st c.
Stupa TK23. Afghanistan, monastery of Tapa-Kalan. 4th-5th c.
I'm not sure why there were so many plaster models there.
It was great that all of this had been saed from Hadda, since the area has been essentially destroyed, so the world has forever lost pieces of art such as:
(picture taken in 1974)
Site of Hadda, Monastery of Chakhil-i-Ghoundi. Afghanistan. 2nd-3rd c.
Scenes from the life of Buddha. Afghanistan, monastery of Tapa-i-Kafariha. 2nd-3rd c.
Standing Bodhisattva. Pakistan. 1st-3rd c.
This should be Maitreya: the next coming of Buddha, because people will be depressed when he dies.
Bodhisattva. Pakistan. 1st-3rd c.
Site of Hadda, Monastery of Bagh-Gai B56, Decor of South Face - fresco: Buddha and female donor. Afghanistan. 3rd-4th c.
The Great Miracle of Sravasti or the double miracle of the water and the fire. Afghanistan. 3rd c.
Bottle in form of galley, Bottle, Bottles in shape of icthyomorphes. Afghanistan, "Treasure of Begram". 1st c.
Fragment of scene: Buddha Dipankara preaching (the young brahmin Megha). Afghanistan. 2nd-3rd c.
Stair Support: Passing Lion. Afghanistan. 2nd-3rd c.
I went back to retrieve my camera battery and charger in the Chinese section before moving on.
FFunerary adornment. North China. 10th-11th c.
Plate decorated with Dragons, rocks and clouds. 1634.
Pair of letterbrushes decorated with dragons. 1736-95.
These are HUGE brushes.
They had some Kangxi cupboards but they were quite worn and damaged.
Landscape. Wen Boren. 1548.
I wonder how much of the Chinese stuff was looted from the Summer Palace.
Lacquer is very hard, so it keeps well.
