Asian Art at the Norton Simon Museum

This illustrated catalogue is the first in a series of three, recording the Asian art collection at the Norton Simon Museum. Each work of art in the collection is fully illustrated and discussed, and the volume includes substantial introductions that shed light on the aesthetic and metaphysical underpinnings of these masterpieces. This catalogue focuses on sculptures from the Indian subcontinent, except those from the Himalayas. Representing almost all schools of Indian sculptural art and three major religions - Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism - the works span two millennia, from the 2nd century BC to the 18th century. The collection's many highlights include a particularly fine assemblage of South Indian bronzes of the Chola period. The second volume concentrates on sculptures and paintings from the Indian states of Jammu, Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, as well as the countries of Nepal, Tibet and China. These works date from the 5th to the 20th century. The collection's many highlights include Buddhist bronzes from Nepal, folk bronzes from Himachal Pradesh, and thankas and metalwork from Tibet. The third volume will examine artwork from Southeast Asia.