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Book cover; Tibet; 13th century; wood with pigments; Rubin Museum of Art; C2006.27.1 (HAR 65641…
Book cover
Book cover; Tibet; 13th century; wood with pigments; Rubin Museum of Art; C2006.27.1 (HAR 65641…
Book cover; Tibet; 13th century; wood with pigments; Rubin Museum of Art; C2006.27.1 (HAR 65641); photography by David De Armas, Rubin Museum of Art, 2014

Book cover

OriginTibet
Date13th century
Dimensions1 1/2 × 28 3/4 × 11 5/8 in.
MediumWood with pigments
Classification(s)
Credit LineRubin Museum of Art
Object numberC2006.27.1
Himalayan Art Resources Number65641
Project Himalayan Arthttps://projecthimalayanart.rubinmuseum.org/exhibition/materials-and-technologies/carving-in-stone-and-wood/book-cover/
DescriptionWood book covers often received elaborate treatment in Tibet, reflecting the importance of the texts that they protected. Hardwood is relatively rare in many areas of Tibet, and the thick pieces of wood used for each book cover represented great effort and expense.

A traditional Tibetan book has two covers that are used to enclose stacked unbound paper pages. The book is then wrapped in fabric to protect the pages from separation, dust, and smoke. The carved and painted decoration of this book cover is typical of work done in the thirteenth century. Such covers frequently display geometric patterns and have some shallow carving. They are usually varnished and thus appear glossy although they are created with the same mineral pigments as Tibetan scroll paintings.
Not on view