Asian Temple Fragments

A temple’s whole population, carved in stone. Asian temple fragments in stone, wood and terra cotta come from India, Nepal, Tibet, China, Indonesia and Burma. Jain and Hindu temples of Rajasthan and Gujarat were covered in carved sandstone and marble: lotus medallions, dancers, guardian lions, monkeys and celestial musicians, each with a symbolic place in the temple’s design. Newari carvers of the Kathmandu Valley made wooden struts and window frames with deities and serpents; Tibetan monasteries had painted wood capitals and brackets; Chinese temples had carved brackets and dragons.

Majapahit terra cotta from Java and Burmese wood figures carry the same devotional imagery south and east. Weather, incense smoke and handling have softened every edge. A carved sandstone fragment on a steel stand in a dining room keeps better company than most guests.