Ranging from the 11th to the 20th century, ritual silk brocade garments, painted leather pieces, ceremonial silver objects, intricately worked ornaments, prayer wheels, and Buddhist paintings and sculpture, are all lavishly illustrated in From the Sacred Realm. The lucidly written texts provide an in-depth insight into the remarkable and fascinating culture of Tibet.
The outstanding Tibetan collection held by The Newark Museum stems from a treasure trove of objects originally brought together by the missionary Dr. Shelton during his stay in Eastern Tibet from 1904 to 1920. Over the course of the twentieth century this unique collection has grown considerably, showing a breadth of artworks of the highest quality, representing all aspects of Tibetan culture. From the Sacred Realm: Treasures of Tibetan Art analyzes these fascinating, multifaceted works of art, and provides an overview of the museum's holdings. Scenes of everyday life, the role of the nobility, and the official Buddhist establishment are covered in the essays and illustrated by numerous color plates. Black-and-white photographs taken prior to the Chinese occupation document a world culture, much of which has now been lost forever.


From the Sacred Realm, Valrae Reynolds, Prestel, Hardcover, 1999, 264 Pages, $70.00

Valrae Reynolds has been the Curator of Asian Collections at The Newark Museum, New Jersey, since 1970. She has written and lectured extensively on many aspects of Tibetan culture. Her recent research has been primarily on Tibetan costumes and ritual textiles.

	Contents: From the Sacred Realm: Treasures of Tibetan Art from the Newark Museum
	Foreword	7
	Acknowledgments	8
	Introduction: The Tibetan Holdings of the Newark Museum	11
Chapter I.	Tibetan History and Religion	23
Chapter II	Mountains and Valleys: Tibetan Everyday Life	47
Chapter III	Castles and Tents: Structures of Power and Patronage	81
Chapter IV	Courtyards and Temples	119
Chapter V	In the Sacred Realm	171
	Selected Bibliography	250
	Poses, Hand Gestures, Symbols, and Attributes	252
	Index of Names and Places	262