News

The Google Custom Search has now been added to the HAR Home Page. It is also located on the Advanced Search Page and the HAR Blog Page.

A Google Search Box has been added to the top right of the HAR Blog Page and to the Advanced Search Page. The HAR Home Page is in the process of being re-designed and simplified. When it is finished it will include the Google Search as well.

The navigation menu that appears on the left side of most pages has been re-ordered and includes more choices. Content from some pages has been moved to the Introduction Page. The About Us Page has been simplified. The new pages called Art History and Iconography are still being worked on so please have patience for now.

The Function & Relationships Guide/Glossary has been doubled in size and all of the links are slowly being added. We will now begin to annotate the entries. If you think that we have left things off the list then please let us know.

Amitabha and Amitayus, although one and the same Buddha, they are each represented differently in art. Amitabha is always depicted in traditional monk's robes whereas Amitayus is lavishly attired in jewels, ornaments, silks and wearing an elaborate crown.

Most of the paintings of Amitabha Buddha show him seated is the pureland of Sukhavati surrounded by the two principle bodhisattva disciples, Lokeshvara and Sthamaprapta, and the Eight Great Bodhisattvas. Amitabha is also found depicted in simple painted compositions without excessive embellishment or complexity. Amitayus Buddha, of which there are far more paintings and sculpture to look at, is generally depicted in a Tantric context of mandalas, seated with a consort, or surrounded by hosts of retinue deities.

The depictions of Amitabha seem to be based more on Mahayana scripture and narrative while the images of Amitayus appear to be much more Tantric in nature and incorporate ritual and meditation elements.

These are just quick observations made in the moment. In the process of creating a graphic outline page all of the images of a particular subject need to be looked at, identified, labeled, and grouped according to type, context, etc. At the end of this, we look again at all of the images, such as for Amitabha/Amitayus, and one can't help but have a renewed and revitalized view of the subject.

The goddess Marichi, although not so popular in the last few centuries, was at one time a very important deity in Tantric Buddhism. She has a very large number of different forms both peaceful and wrathful, simple and complex. The most consistent features found in her iconography are a pig, or sow, face to the side or above the main face. She can be riding atop a pig or horse, or seated in a chariot drawn by five or seven pigs or horses. She is usually either red or yellow in colour. In some depictions Marichi is shown holding a branch of the Ashoka tree and a sewing needle.

The Four Guardian Kings are found throughout the Northern Buddhist World however they only really exist within two frameworks: together with the (1) set of Shakyamuni Buddha and the Sixteen Arhats and at (2) the entrances to Buddhist temples. The Guardian Kings Page and the Arhats Main Page have been updated and revised with many new objects placed under their respective headings. In keeping with this work the Arhats Outline Page will be updated, split into several pages, expanded and simplified over the next few weeks.

A new review on the Asian Art (asianart.com) website - Reflections on Amy Hellerâ??s Early Himalayan Art by Melissa Kerin Ph.D.
The works discussed in the publication are the early Himalayan pieces from the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford University (see publication information).

A new glossary has been added to the Main Glossary and the Glossary Resources Links Page of HAR. The new Function & Relationships Guide is primarily iconographic. It relates various activities, functions and concepts to the different deities represented in the art. There are some references to people included especially where the unique or particular function characterizes that person, such as Milarepa with song, Tangtong Gyalpo with theatre and iron working, and Drugpa Kunleg as a joker and trickster. The glossary will be annotated over the next few weeks.

Seven glossaries on the site with more on the way: the Main Glossary has been updated and the Caution Words and Buddha Names were both updated recently.

1.Himalayan Art Resources Main Glossary: a general glossary of common Himalayan 'Style' Art terms, both technical and general.

2. Animal Relationships Guide/Glossary: a simple list intended to directly reference the different types of animals depicted in art and iconography to the important deity subjects and symbol sets.

3. Bon Religion & Culture Technical Glossary: a glossary sensitive to the subtleties of the Bon religion, iconography and unique terminology.

4. Buddha Names Glossary: a list and description of the numerous Buddhas that are depicted in Himalayan art.

5. Caution Words & Sensitive Subjects: mistakes from the past, sloppy iconography, sensitive and political subjects, terminology, definitions, etc.

6. Function & Relationships Guide/Glossary: linking up the functions, activities and concepts to the principal deities, gods and figures in Himalayan art.

7. Mahasiddha Technical Glossary: most of what you need to know in order to understand the subject of mahasiddhas.

A new article on the Asian Art (asianart.com) website - A Painted Book Cover from Ancient Kashmir by Pratapaditya Pal. "The history of architecture and sculpture from Kashmirâ??s pre-Islamic past (1st c. BCE â?? 1300 CE) is well-apprised but nothing is known about painting. No example of pictorial art has yet come to light in the Valley of Kashmir. The purpose of this article is to discuss a painted panel in wood that was introduced in the recent exhibition of the arts of Kashmir. This painted panel is the only known object of its type that can be clearly traced to Kashmir itself and the artists there." (Publisher)

The Himalayan Art Resources website (HAR) was created by and is still funded by the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation. The site was begun in early 1997 and went live in September of the same year. At that time the site was known as the Tibet Art Project and used the Url 'tibetart dot com.' The Url and name were changed in 2001 to Himalayan Art Project and the current Url www.himalayanart.org. The name was changed again in 2004 after numerous academics complained about the use of the word 'project.' They suggested that the word 'project' implied something of a limited and finite duration. They apparently did not want HAR to be finished and wrapped up to soon. After that the name was changed again to Himalayan Art Resources which better described the actual work the site was doing and was more inclusive of the large number of countries, traditions and ethnic communities represented on the website.

Initially the people involved were Don and Shelley Rubin, Moke Mokotoff, Jane Casey Singer, Keith Bush, Chris Wilkinson and others. The web development was done primarily by Comvision of New York with input from web developers of Multiplan Inc. In the fall of 1997 I (Jeff Watt) was asked to provide content for the site but declined at that time because I felt the site was too faith based. There were only 625 images of paintings on the site at that time. In April of 1998 I was asked again to provide content for the site and slowly began to add descriptive write-ups to the individual works of art. At this time it was only paintings (tangkas). In 2000 and 2001 the site began to add sculpture and begin to distinguish between Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan, etc. This was not an easy time.

In those early years Angela Powell, a Multiplan employee, did all of the scanning, numbering of images and uploading to the site. Ben Brinkley, hired by Shelley & Donald Rubin Cultural Trust in the fall of 1999 to start the development of an education department for the future Rubin Museum of Art, quickly became one of the most important assets in the development of the HAR website. Ben was also responsible for the creation of the Kids section of HAR.

In 2001 Tenzin Dharlo began work on HAR as the administrator followed by Pema Choephel as web developer in 2002. Soon after that Monty McKeever was hired as a summer intern, and then a returning intern, and then hired full time. His work and writing is well represented on the HAR site under the various miscellaneous, Jataka, and mahasiddha stories. David Pritzker was brought onto the HAR team in 2008 as an assistant curator after working with me for 2 years at the Rubin Museum of Art.

See two early articles about HAR: Virtual Treasures, The Himalayan Art Project to the Rescue by Joan Duncan Oliver (2003) and A Virtual Museum, Himalayan Art Resources by Barry Boyce (2005).

Angela Powell has moved on and is happily working in the health care industry. Ben Brinkley remains both a professional educator and web developer at a university on the West Coast. Monty Mckeever has returned to complete his college education. Pema Choephel is a professional web developer at a prestigious college in Oregon. Both Ben and Pema still consult for the HAR website and provide valuable advice when needed.

The staff of HAR has dwindled down because of the late 2008 economic situation. Tenzin Dharlo remains as administrator with Simon Chantasirivisal in charge of image management. David Pritzker will remain as a roving curator while traveling abroad. In 2009 HAR will be starting an unpaid Intern Program in the New York offices with the hope to maintain the level of image uploads on the site and to maintain the quality overall. (End of Part 1)

A GARLAND OF JEWELS: The Eight Great Bodhisattvas by Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche (Jamyang Namgyal, 1846â??1912), translated by Yeshe Gyamtso.

It is very difficult to find information on the descriptions, iconography and history of the group of the Eight Great Bodhisattvas. This book is for those of you out there who are interested in the Bodhisattvas and what is actually written in the Sutras about them without having to read all of the Sutras yourself. A small number of interesting and useful Tantric quotes have also been included. Mipham was especially interested in Manjushri and it is not surprising to see that nearly half of the book is devoted to him. Mipham's text is based on the work of Zhuchen Tsultrim Rinchen (1697-1774) of Dege Gonchen Monastery. Zhuchen was the chief editor of the Dege Tangyur and one of the most important Lamas of Eastern Tibet in the 18th century.

"The great sutras of the Mahayana are repositories of extraordinary accounts of miracles and great deeds performed buddhas and bodhisattvas. Mipham's purpose in writing this book was to inspire us to emulate these great beings and to give us confidence in the effectiveness of the Mahayana path." (Publisher).

There has been a lot going on with the HAR site but it is mostly behind the scenes or additions to the various thematic and subject sets. This happens too often to notify everybody every time a small change is made. The Animal Relationships Guide/Glossary has been added to the Links/Glossary Resources Page. Now all of the glossaries are together. It has also been annotated with a few remaining entries still to add. The Jataka Animal Guide is still in process.

The HAR staff have been busy with cataloging several new museum collections to be uploaded to the site in the near future. Once we photograph an art collection, or receive digital images, it takes time and work to organize, number, upload and catalog. Currently we have approximately 10,000 images from scores of collections to be cataloged and uploaded. Deciding how to prioritize those collections is one of our ongoing challenges, a challenge we are grateful to have.

The bodhisattva and next Buddha of this age is Maitreya (see the new Maitreya Outline Page). He is well represented in art both in painting and sculpture. There are two common but different appearances for depicting Maitreya. The first is as a bodhisattva wearing jewels and silks, often seated in a relaxed posture. The second is that of a fully enlightened Buddha having the major and minor marks, such as they appear in art. There are several other forms, based on literary sources, that can best be characterized as Tantric, or at least coming out of Tantric Traditions. They are not commonly found in art which probably attests to their lack of popularity as meditation practices. The most unique feature in the depictions of many of the Maitreya images are the two legs seated in a Western posture. Also, he will often be shown with a small stupa on the crown of the head.

There are always many questions about animals and how they relate to different deities and symbol sets. This Animal Relationships Guide is a simple list intended to make the more common relationships clear. Also see the Animal Headed Gods & Deities and the Snakes & Serpents Outline Pages. In the set of Jataka & Avadana Stories there are a number of animal characters such as the story of how the rabbit came to be represented on the moon - A Tale of Generosity. These animals and the corresponding story titles with links will be made into a separate Animal Relationships Guide in the next couple of weeks.

Two new web links have been added to the Resource Tools Outline page: Dakini Scripts and Lantsha, Vartu and Other Indian Scripts. The Lantsha script is commonly used on the back of Tibetan paintings for writing the blessings and sanctifications. The Lantsha is also used on sculpture as decorative design elements on monk's robes and occasionally around the base of a sculpture. On this textile artwork note the Ranjana script along the border used to frame the tangka. The Kalachakra monogram, a series of mantra syllables, is almost always rendered in Ranjana script when appearing in paintings or repousse sculpture.

The new Wisdom Calendar for 2009 is available from Wisdom Publications. We have listed the subject name for each of the paintings on the HAR Wisdom Calendar Page. They are not yet added to the database. This will happen in the next few days. All of the paintings represented are from the Guimet Museum Collection, Paris, France. There are some excellent examples of late Guge style painting as well as unique iconographic forms such as the Guru Dragpo Heruka painting.

The outline page for Resource Tools has been updated with new links and new sections. The Tibetan Language Section now has a Wylie Transliteration link. The Calendars Section has a Chinese Dynasty Guide and two new resources for the Tibetan Lunar Calendar: 1) Holy Days, and 2) Anniversaries. There are still more dates to add to both of these pages. The problem is in tracking down the dates and then having them confirmed. So far there are no Bon, Hindu or Newar Buddhist date entries.

The Lists Section of Resource Tools is new and has two updated items. The first, Iconography Source Texts & Examples, is only new to this outline page. The second item is an expanded and updated version of the Number Sets & Lists. Previously it had been embedded in the Index Page under the letter 'N.' It became too large for the Index and now has a dedicated page.

To accompany the new Tibetan Lunar Calendar Pages an Astrology Art Outline was created. For many of these new Outline Pages and resources numerous 'thematic set' pages were also created in the HAR database in order to contextualize the related images and subjects: for example the Sidpaho Protection Charts for the Astology Outline, The Three Small Red Ones for the Number Sets & Lists, and List of Lamdre Lineage Teachers for the Lamdre Lineage Art Sets Outline, and many, many more.

Most of the paintings depicting an individual, or several individuals, in one composition are invariably from lineage sets. At any given time sets of paintings in total number are likely to account for more than half of all Himalayan and Tibetan style art. On the HAR site we have already tried to put the Arhat sets of paintings back together where ever possible. Amongst the various 'Lama' sets there are many paintings that belong to the Lamdre lineage, an important subject of the Sakya Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The Lamdre Lineage Outline Page organizes some of these partial sets and makes the work of recognizing new Lamdre paintings easier. There are currently more Lamdre images in the queue waiting to be uploaded onto the HAR website. Many more images are known but HAR hasn't yet been able to gain the required permissions to exhibit these images on the website.

The main Sakya Outline Page has been re-worked. Added to this at the bottom, as you already saw, is the Sakya Protectors Outline Page. Linked to that is a new outline page for Panjarnata Mahakala. There is still more work to be done on that subject. Also new to the Sakya Outline Page is the Monasteries & Branch Schools outline. This new page will become more meaningful and develop as more images are uploaded in the next few weeks and months. We currently have several thousand images from locations in Central and West Tibet waiting to be uploaded.

The Mural Paintings of Tibet outline became way too large and had to be split into several pages: main page, Eastern Tibet (Kham, Amdo), Central Tibet, Western Tibet. More mural images and new locations are ready to be uploaded to the HAR site. These outline pages will probably have to change again soon to accommodate all of the new images.

With the Mural Paintings of Tibet page there are also many outside shots of the buildings and caves that house the murals. In an attempt to simplify the topic of architecture the important subjects and types have been grouped together on the Architecture Outline Page. This will need to be re-worked as the technical vocabulary and terms are sorted out and standardized.

A new outline page for Sakya Protectors has been added to the HAR site. There is a lot more explanation that needs to accompany each of these protectors, and or, their larger classifications, such as the classifications of Mahakala, Shri Devi, the Three Kings, etc. The image on the left is of the goddess Ekajati, the mother of Mahakala and Shri Devi, from the system of Panjarnata Mahakala according to the Vajrapanjara Tantra. She is included as one of the retinue figures in the Eight Deity Panjarnata practice. She is also included in the Three Deity Panjarnata practice of the Sakya Tradition.

There are many deities represented in the various, Buddhist, Bon and Hindu traditions of the Himalayas that have the same name and sometimes a similar appearance. These deities are not always the same in origin myth, form or function. Great care and sensitivity must be used when recognizing a specific deity along with explaining that deity from the side of the tradition it belongs in.

Please go to the bottom of the page and let us know by using the POLL how easy it is to use the HAR website. We are currently going through and cleaning up confusing pathways and broken links. We are also moving towards a new Home Page that is clearer and easier to navigate but are not yet ready to unveil these changes.

Your input is desired and asked for. You are also welcome to post a comment about how you feel the website can be improved. In the past when we have asked for user response and comments we rarely got anything except positive feedback. We like positive comments but that is not what we are looking for here. We want to hear your ideas for improvements to the site, or suggestions about content that you feel should be added to the site. We have our own ideas, now it is up to you to share your ideas with us.