The Himalayan mountains separate the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau.
since the 7th century
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Situ Panchen
Scholar Situ Panchen is portrayed in a long lineage of transmitters of the Karma Kagyu Buddhist tradition.
Handheld Prayer Wheel
Filled with scrolls of Buddhist mantras, this prayer wheel boosts the merit of its user.
Lobsang Drubjam Tsering, Medicine Buddha Palace
Filled with detailed illustrations of figures, buildings, and medicinal plants, this painting is meant to instruct medical students in Tibet.
The Fifth Dalai Lama Ngawang Lobzang Gyatso (1617–1682) with Previous Incarnations
Delicate red lines stand out against the shimmering golden surface of this painting of the Fifth Dalai Lama.
Ushnishavijaya and Celebration of Old Age (Jyatha Janko)
One of the ways that Newar culture celebrates elders is through this specially commissioned painting.
Panjaranatha Mahakala
With sharp fangs and hair of flames, the Buddhist deity Mahakala is invoked for military and political success.
Wheel of Existence
The Wheel of Existence expresses the cyclical nature of life manifested in various forms, all under the grip of the Lord of Death.
Lost-wax metal casting
From creating a wax model to final decoration, artists skillfully demonstrate the lost-wax casting process for Newar Buddhist sculpture.
The making of a thangka painting
Thangka painting has been a Tibetan Buddhist tradition for over 2,000 years.
Saddle (gser sga)
This tradition of highly decorative saddles continues uninterrupted in Tibet for at least a thousand years.
Mahakala, Protector of the Tent, c. 1500
Dr. Kurt Behrendt speaks about a tangka (Tibetan Buddhist painting) showing Mahakala, Protector of the Tent.
