Gyantse Revisited

In 1987 the Authors made a survey of the tempie and stupa of Gyantse which were described by Giuseppe Tucci fifty years before. As a result of their fieldwork and careful study of newly available literary sources the outstanding pioneering work of the great Italian tibetologist has been integrated and brought up to date. The historical and cultural background from which the monuments of Gyantse have arisen is explored. Their unique figurative display of the 15th century Tibetan Buddhist iconography is traced to the classification of the Tantras as assessed by that time. The spiritual lineages of the different tantric traditions in Tibet are outlined as they result from the sculptures and paintings found in those monuments.

Erberto Lo Bue obtained a Ph.D. in Tibetan Studies at the School of Orientai and African Studies (University of London). From 1983 he has taught Tibetan language and literature at the Universities of Turin and Milan. Most of his publications are devoted to the art of the Himalayan countries.

Franco Ricca is Professor of Theoretical Chemistry at the University of Turin. He obtained a doctorate in Indology at the Institute of Orientai Studies of the same university with a thesis on the iconography of the Bar-do-thos-sgrol. As a co-founder of CESMEO he played a major role in promoting its manifold activities.