SACRED STITCHES: BUDDHIST IMAGES ENLIVENED ON SILK
13 - 15 November 2021
The Zanabazar Fine Arts Museum
13 - 15 November 2021
The Zanabazar Fine Arts Museum
Silk scrolls form a special collection in the Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum.
The art of producing silken appliqués traces back to the nomadic way of art of the Xiongnu period. It reached its peak later by decorating the silk itself with silk, golden and silver passementeries, ornamented with the nine kinds of precious and semi-precious stones. These pieces of art not only enrich the culture of the Mongols, but also belongs to the treasure house of the world’s classical art. The most magnificiant Buddhist images were crafted in Urga from the early 20th century, which indicate the heydays of this art technique.
Following the Buddhist iconometry and iconography of Indian and Tibetan schools, Mongolian Buddhist artists also included the beatitude, philosophy, aesthetics, symbolism, and fine arts of the Mongols when producing silken appliqués in various sizes to decorate the walls
of temples. They also produced monumental images to hang out open-air during the Tsam masked dance. For instance, Jamiyan of Bandidiin aimag in Urga designed the monumental appliqué of Sengii Raa in the 19 th century (1670х1045 cm), Tsend of Toisamlin aimag directed the work to produce the image of the White Tara (1006х1040 cm), and the seamstresses of the Treasury produced Vajrapani’s huge image (1450х1120 cm) based on the draft of Jugder and Tsend in 1810. Among the 19 exhibited masterpieces of our collection one can find the representation of
the Fulfilling Offering devoted to the Ten Dharma Protectors, the image of Lord Tsongkhapa, founder of the Yellow Stream, as well as Vairochana’s mandala with the decoration of 3316 pieces of pearl and 297 pieces of coral on a beautiful blue silk background. The opening ceremony of the exhibition “Sacred Stitches: Buddhist Images Enlivened on
Silk” will take place at 11am on 12 November, 2021 in the exhibition hall of the Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum. It is open for the public. Mongolian Artist Uranchimeg will run a course on
silken appliqués every day during the exhibition lasting from 12-14 November, 2021.
The art of producing silken appliqués traces back to the nomadic way of art of the Xiongnu period. It reached its peak later by decorating the silk itself with silk, golden and silver passementeries, ornamented with the nine kinds of precious and semi-precious stones. These pieces of art not only enrich the culture of the Mongols, but also belongs to the treasure house of the world’s classical art. The most magnificiant Buddhist images were crafted in Urga from the early 20th century, which indicate the heydays of this art technique.
Following the Buddhist iconometry and iconography of Indian and Tibetan schools, Mongolian Buddhist artists also included the beatitude, philosophy, aesthetics, symbolism, and fine arts of the Mongols when producing silken appliqués in various sizes to decorate the walls
of temples. They also produced monumental images to hang out open-air during the Tsam masked dance. For instance, Jamiyan of Bandidiin aimag in Urga designed the monumental appliqué of Sengii Raa in the 19 th century (1670х1045 cm), Tsend of Toisamlin aimag directed the work to produce the image of the White Tara (1006х1040 cm), and the seamstresses of the Treasury produced Vajrapani’s huge image (1450х1120 cm) based on the draft of Jugder and Tsend in 1810. Among the 19 exhibited masterpieces of our collection one can find the representation of
the Fulfilling Offering devoted to the Ten Dharma Protectors, the image of Lord Tsongkhapa, founder of the Yellow Stream, as well as Vairochana’s mandala with the decoration of 3316 pieces of pearl and 297 pieces of coral on a beautiful blue silk background. The opening ceremony of the exhibition “Sacred Stitches: Buddhist Images Enlivened on
Silk” will take place at 11am on 12 November, 2021 in the exhibition hall of the Fine Arts Zanabazar Museum. It is open for the public. Mongolian Artist Uranchimeg will run a course on
silken appliqués every day during the exhibition lasting from 12-14 November, 2021.