This book is the first comprehensive work about Po Win Taung (Burma). The hill, a soft volcanic rock, is situated to the north-west of Central Burma. It’s a huge, multi-level Buddhist religious complex with about 800 rock-cut caves, which vary from a simple meditation cell to an imposing temple. The facades are decorated in low and high reliefs, with some entrances flanked by human or animal sculptures in the round. The interiors of the grottoes contain numerous statues carved into the rock and over 100 caves are adorned with mural paintings illustrating traditional scenes (the 28 Buddha of the Past, previous lives of Buddha, and the Life of Buddha Gotama) including scenes of daily life. For the most part, the creations of Po Win Taung date from the second Ava period (16th - 18th centuries), and to a lesser extent, to the colonial period (last quarter of 19th till mid 20th centuries).
This work defines the characteristics of the « Nyaung Yan » style, generally designated as the « Ava » style, a period which is little known to the oriental art world. The artistic treasures of Po Win Taung allow us to explore and comprehend this style to a much greater extent. They show a profound syncretism harmonizing local pre-buddhist beliefs and the fundamental teachings of Theravâda Buddhism as well as the different sources of inspiration (Chinese, European, Indian, Muslim, Portuguese and Siamese) which have influenced the « Nyaung Yan » style. |
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30/12/14
from 01/04/12 to 31/03/13
