Common Themes across Tibetan, Himalayan, and Inner Asian art and cultures explored in Project Himalayan Art are introduced on these web pages. These Themes connect information throughout the Project Himalayan Art platform and provide entry points to objects, essays, and exhibition materials to help you find objects and materials relevant to your interests.
Themes
Art & Religious Practices
Art in Himalayan regions and culturally related areas of Inner Asia plays an important role in the everyday and religious life of the people.
Art Making
Art making in Himalayan and Tibetan regions is largely religious in nature and takes a wide range of forms—from painting to lost-wax metal casting.
Artists & Patrons
Artists in Tibetan, Himalayan, and Inner Asian traditions produce works, mostly religious in nature, for large monastic institutions, royal courts, and a wide range of individual patrons.
Cultural Regions
Himalayan art spans the artistic traditions of the diverse regions and cultural spheres of the greater Himalayan mountain range, the Tibetan Plateau, and connected areas of Inner Asia.
Medical & Astrological Sciences
Tibetan medical and astrological knowledge are seen as linked, and taught and practiced jointly, usually within the context of the Buddhist worldview.
Religions
In Himalayan regions and culturally connected regions of Inner Asia the main religious traditions are Buddhism, Hinduism, and Bon.
Sites & Architecture
People across the Himalayan regions interacted with their surroundings driven by various motivations or purposes, developing diverse architectural styles.
Storytelling
Storytelling is a main means of teaching in Buddhist cultures and includes morality tales, legends, and life stories of the Buddha.
