SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Both Kashmir and Nepal have been sources of inspiration throughout the history of Tibetan art. The art of Kashmir was adopted and adapted in the Purang-Guge Kingdom (circa 950–1100 CE) and its successors, and Nepalese artists were instrumental in the creation of a considerable portion of early Tibetan art. In this article, the early adoption of art from these two regions is contrasted with specific examples from the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries that consciously link back to art forms associated with Kashmir and Nepal. Analyses of these later examples provide insights into the processes involved in reviving historic art forms, and demonstrate the increasing distance between the actual artistic production and its alleged origin(s). The processes of revival perceivable in these examples are varied, yet all of them share a conscious and selective approach and a substantial degree of re-imagination. As such, the revival of these older art forms in newer works serves as both a subject and a messenger.