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Image for Cover of a Bon Book
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Cover of a Bon Book Thumbnail
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Cover of a Bon Book Thumbnail
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Cover of a Bon Book

Tibetan (?) (Artist)
Nepalese (?) (Artist)
14th century
wood with pigments
(India, Nepal, and Tibet)

The Bon religion is considered by some to be the native faith of Tibet, by others a Tibetan adaptation of Buddhism. On the outside (wooden) face, the central figure is probably Tonpa Shenrap, the Buddha-like founder of Bon. The four other deities have the roles of mother, supreme god of wisdom, procreator, and teacher. On the inner (painted) face, there are five figures in Nepalese-type niches who are Bon versions of the five cosmic Buddhas.

Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.

Ian Alsop, New York and Santa Fe [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; John and Berthe Ford, Baltimore February 11, 1989, by purchase.

Exhibitions

2001-2003 Desire and Devotion: Art from India, Nepal, and Tibet in the John and Berthe Ford Collection. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara; Albuquerque Museum, Albuquerque; Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham; Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong.
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Geographies

Nepal (Place of Origin) Tibet (Place of Origin)

Measurements

H: 9 13/16 × W: 28 1/16 × D: 1 9/16 in. (25 × 71.3 × 4 cm)

Credit Line

Promised gift of John and Berthe Ford

Location in Museum

Not on view

Accession Number

In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.

F.135

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Hours

  • Wednesday—Sunday: 10 a.m.—5 p.m.
  • Thursday: 1–8 p.m.
  • Monday—Tuesday: Closed

Location

600 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD
21201

Phone

410-547-9000

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