Himalayan art is overwhelmingly religious art: paintings, sculptures and ritual objects made to be used in practice, each figure governed by precise iconographic rules. That makes two kinds of book essential — the broad surveys that explain how styles moved between India, Nepal, Tibet and China, and the iconographic handbooks that let you identify a deity by posture, hand gesture, colour and attribute.
Much of the best writing appeared in exhibition catalogues: the large museum shows of the 1990s and 2000s produced books that remain the standard references, and the earlier European catalogues (Paris, Amsterdam, Zurich) are prized for their plates of collections that have since been dispersed. Technical studies of how thangkas are painted, and of the symbols that fill them, round out a working library.
Where to start
Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet (in stock) — Marylin M. Rhie and Robert A. F. Thurman, 1991. The landmark exhibition catalogue, with essays on meaning, iconography and style.
Tibetan Thangka Painting: Methods and Materials — David P. Jackson and Janice A. Jackson, 1984. How a thangka is actually made, step by step — the standard technical study.
The Art of Tibet — Robert E. Fisher, 1997. A compact Thames & Hudson World of Art survey and the best single-volume overview.
Art of the Himalayas: Treasures from Nepal and Tibet — Pratapaditya Pal, 1991. Pal is the most prolific scholar in the field; this catalogue is a good entry point to his work.
The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs — Robert Beer, 1999. Line drawings and explanations of the symbols, attributes and ornaments that fill Tibetan art.
The Art of Exile Art Catalogue by Museum of New Mexico Press — $8.57 The Art of Exile: Paintings by Tibetan Children in India is a catalogue published by the Museum of New Mexico Press in 1998, conceived by the Museum of International Folk Art.
Ladakh und Zanskar by Anneliese Keilhauer — $14.32 Ladakh und Zanskar is a German-language art and travel guide (DuMont Kunst-Reiseführer) by Anneliese and Peter Keilhauer, published by DuMont Buchverlag in Cologne; this is the third revised edition, 1980.
Flames of devotion: oil lamps from South and Southeast Asia and the Himalayas by Sean Anderson — $8.29 Exhibition catalogue by Sean Anderson, published in 2006 by the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History (Fowler in Focus series), on oil lamps and incense burners from South and Southeast Asia and the Himalayas.
Tibetaans-Boeddhistische Kunst by Winand M. Callewaert and Luc De Becker — $28.49 Tibetaans-Boeddhistische Kunst is a Dutch-language catalogue of Tibetan Buddhist art, published in 1982 by the Faculty of Letters and Philosophy of K.U.Leuven.
Anonymous: Contemporary Tibetan Art by H. G. Masters, Elaine W. Ng — $13.66 Anonymous: Contemporary Tibetan Art is a 2013 exhibition catalogue edited by HG Masters and Elaine W. Ng, with contributors listed as Jamyang Norbu, David Elliott and Rachel Perera Weingeist.
Celestial Realms: The Art of Nepal by Nancy Tingley — $26.67 Celestial Realms: The Art of Nepal from California Collections is an exhibition catalogue by Nancy Tingley, with contributions by Nutandhar Sharma, published by the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, California, in 2012.
The Potala Palace by China Intercontinental Press — $14.25 A short illustrated guide to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, published in English by China Intercontinental Press in 1996.
Tibetan Handicrafts by Xiong Wenbin — $13.50 Tibetan Handicrafts is a short illustrated booklet by Xiong Wenbin, published in English by China Intercontinental Press in 2003.
Sera Monastery by China Intercontinental Press — $13.50 Sera Monastery is a short illustrated booklet in English on the Gelug monastery of Sera near Lhasa, published by China Intercontinental Press in 1997.
Tashilhungpo Monastery by Jin Hui — $14.25 Tashilhungpo Monastery is a short illustrated English-language guide to the Gelug monastery near Xigaze (Shigatse) in Tibet, written by Jin Hui and published by China Intercontinental Press in 1997.
Tibetan Frescoes by Dongfan Liao — $14.25 Tibetan Frescoes is a short illustrated introduction to Tibetan mural painting by Liao Dongfan, published in English by China Intercontinental Press in 2003.
Labrang Monastery by Chen Lijian — $13.50 Labrang Monastery is a short illustrated booklet by Chen Lijian, published in English by China Intercontinental Press in 1997.
Zhaibung Monastery by China Intercontinental Press — $14.25 Zhaibung Monastery is an illustrated English-language introduction to Drepung (Zhaibung) Monastery, the Gelug monastery near Lhasa, published by China Intercontinental Press in 1999.
Tar Monastery by Lijian Chen — $14.25 Tar Monastery is an illustrated English-language booklet by Lijian Chen, published by China Intercontinental Press in 1999, on the Gelug monastery of Tar (Kumbum) in Huangzhong County near Xining, Qinghai.
Tibetan Masks by Zhang Ying — $13.50 Tibetan Masks is a short illustrated booklet by Zhang Ying, published in English by China Intercontinental Press in 2003.
Les Arts Du Nepal Et Du Tibet by Gilles Béguin — $25.15 Les Arts du Népal et du Tibet is a French-language survey of Nepalese and Tibetan art by Gilles Béguin, published in 1987 by Desclée de Brouwer in the École du Louvre series Les grandes étapes de l'art.
Tibetische Buchdeckel by Bayerische Staatsbibliothek — $37.64 Tibetische Buchdeckel is a German-language catalogue of Tibetan book covers (wooden covers for Buddhist manuscripts and prints), published by the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek in Munich in 1991.
Essais Sur L'Art Du Tibet by Ariane Macdonald and Yoshiro Imaeda — $41.49 Essais sur l'art du Tibet is a collection of essays on Tibetan art by Ariane Macdonald and Yoshiro Imaeda, published in French in Paris by Jean Maisonneuve (Librairie d'Amérique et d'Orient) in 1977 with the support of…
From the Sacred Realm: Treasures of Tibetan Art from the Newark Museum 1999 by Valrae Reynolds — $12.99 From the Sacred Realm: Treasures of Tibetan Art from The Newark Museum is a museum collection catalogue by Valrae Reynolds, published by Prestel in 1999, with contributions by Janet Gyatso, Amy Heller and Dan Martin.
Buddhist Sculpture in Clay by Christian Luczanits — $17.25 Buddhist Sculpture in Clay: Early Western Himalayan Art, late 10th to early 13th centuries is a study of early Buddhist clay sculpture of the western Himalaya by Christian Luczanits, published by Serindia Publications…
Himalayan Art by Gallery de Ruimte — $28.49 Himalayan Art is an exhibition catalogue issued in 1983 by Gallery De Ruimte (Jean and Marcel Nies) of Eersel, Netherlands, with about 91 pages in English.
Klöster in Nepal by Adalbert J. Gail — $28.49 Klöster in Nepal: Ikonographie buddhistischer Klöster im Kathmandutal is a German-language study by Adalbert J. Gail, published by Akademische Druck- u.
Mandala: Diagrammes Ésotériques du Népal et du Tibet au Musée Guimet Art by Gilles Beguin — $26.95 Mandala: Diagrammes ésotériques du Népal et du Tibet au musée Guimet is a museum collection catalogue written in French by Gilles Béguin, chief curator at the Musée national des Arts asiatiques-Guimet, and published by…
Buddhist Art of India and Nepal by Krishna Deva — $28.49 Buddhist Art of India and Nepal is a lecture by Prof. Krishna Deva, published in 1987 by the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, Varanasi, as No. II in the Prof. Lalmani Joshi Commemorative Lecture…
Tibetan legacy: Paintings from the Hahn Kwang-ho Collection by Kimiaki Tanaka — $34.65 An exhibition catalogue, Tibetan Legacy: Paintings from the Hahn Kwang-ho Collection, with catalogue text by Kimiaki Tanaka (Hahn Cultural Foundation, 2003, 100 pages).
The Tower of Trongsa: Religion and Power in Bhutan by Christian Schicklgruber — $18.69 A museum catalogue by Christian Schicklgruber (Snoeck, 2009, 176 pages) on the Tower of Trongsa (Ta Dzong) in Bhutan, now a museum, titled The Tower of Trongsa: Religion and Power in Bhutan.
Wisdom and compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet by Marilyn M. Rhie, Robert A. Thurman — $29.19 The catalogue of the exhibition Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet by Marilyn M. Rhie and Robert A. F. Thurman, with photographs by John Bigelow Taylor (Abrams, 1991, about 400 pages).
On the path to void by Pratapaditya Pal — $37.74 On the Path to Void: Buddhist Art of the Tibetan Realm, edited by Pratapaditya Pal with a foreword by the Dalai Lama (Marg Publications, 1996, 284 pages), a collection of articles on Tibetan Buddhist art and antiquities.
Tibetan Tankas by Joshua Goldberg — $12.28 Tibetan Tankas, an exhibition catalogue by Joshua Goldberg published by the University of Arizona Museum of Art in 1980.
Tibet: Kunst des Buddhismus by Jeannine Auboyer and Gilles Béguin — $137.68 A German-language exhibition catalogue, Tibet: Kunst des Buddhismus (Tibet: Art of Buddhism), by Jeannine Auboyer and Gilles Béguin, published by the Haus der Kunst, Munich, in 1977.
Tibetan Tantric charms and amulets by Nik Douglas — $48.90 A collection of Tibetan tantric charms, amulets and talismans selected by Nik Douglas, who also wrote the text (Dover, 1978).
Eine Ikonographie des tibetischen Buddhismus by Detlef Ingo Lauf — $44.20 A German-language study of Tibetan Buddhist iconography by Detlef Ingo Lauf, Eine Ikonographie des tibetischen Buddhismus (Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt, Graz, 1979).
Tibet, art et méditation by Gilles Béguin — $47.50 A French-language exhibition catalogue by Gilles Béguin, Tibet, art et méditation: ascètes et mystiques au Musée Guimet, shown at the Musée des beaux-arts de Rennes from 6 November 1991 to 3 February 1992.
Flames of devotion: oil lamps from South and Southeast Asia and the Himalayas by Sean Anderson — $13.29 An exhibition catalogue from the UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History (2006), Flames of Devotion, on oil lamps and incense burners from South and Southeast Asia and the Himalayas donated by Chitralekha and…
Tibetan Buddhist Altars: A Pop-Up Gallery of Traditional Art & Wisdom by Tad Wise, David A. Carter, Robert Beers — $52.25 A pop-up book, Tibetan Buddhist Altars: A Pop-Up Gallery of Traditional Art and Wisdom, by Tad Wise, David A. Carter and Robert Beer (New World Library, 2004).
The Legacy of Lhasa by Anna Hestler — $17.10 An illustrated book on the decorative and religious furniture of Tibet, The Legacy of Lhasa, by Anna Hestler (FormAsia, 2005).
Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols by Robert Beer — $17.09 A handbook of the symbols and attributes in Tibetan sacred art by Robert Beer (Serindia, 2003), with line drawings by the author.
Life and Thangka; Searching Truth Through Sacred Arts by Tiffani H. Rezende — $11.40 A memoir by Tiffani H. Rezende (Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 2006), Life and Thangka: Searching for Truth Through Sacred Arts.
The Realm of Tibetan Buddhism by Li Jicheng, Ku Shoukang — $24.70 A pictorial survey of Tibetan Buddhist art and symbolism, The Realm of Tibetan Buddhism, by Li Jicheng and Ku Shoukang (China Books & Periodicals, 1985).
Hidden Treasures of the Himalayas by Amy Heller — $156.75 A study of the Tibetan manuscripts, paintings and sculptures of Dolpo by Amy Heller (Serindia, 2009), Hidden Treasures of the Himalayas.
Studies in Sino-Tibetan Buddhist Art Prceedings of the Second International Conf… by Xie jisheng, Shen weirong, Liaoshang — $45.00 A Chinese-language volume of conference papers on Sino-Tibetan Buddhist art, Han Zang fo jiao yi shu yan jiu, the proceedings of the second international conference on Tibetan archaeology and art, edited by Xie Jisheng…
The Iconography of Tibetan Lamaism by Antoinette K. Gordon — $28.50 The Iconography of Tibetan Lamaism, by Antoinette K. Gordon, published by Paragon Book Reprint Corp.
Collection du Bhoutan by Musée d'ethnographie (Neuchâtel, Switzerland) — $10.45 A French-language catalogue of the Bhutan collection of the Musée d'ethnographie de Neuchâtel (Switzerland), by Marceline de Montmollin, published by the museum in 1982.
Thangkas by Alexandra Lavizzari-Raeuber — $13.77 Thangkas: Rollbilder aus dem Himalaya, Kunst und mystische Bedeutung by Alexandra Lavizzari-Raeuber, published by DuMont in 1984.
Tibet: Treasures from the Roof of the World by Kathie A. Hamilton, Vickie C. Byrd, Nancy R. Johnson — $15.67 An exhibition catalogue from the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art (2003), Tibet: Treasures from the Roof of the World, edited by Vickie C. Byrd, Kathy A. Hamilton and Nancy R. Johnson.
Symbols of Tibetan Buddhism by Claude B. Levenson — $13.77 Symbols of Tibetan Buddhism by Claude B. Levenson, with photographs by Laziz Hamani and a foreword by the Dalai Lama, published by Editions Assouline in 1996.
Tibetan Monastic Art by Xinjian Li, Zhenzhong Li — $10.45 Tibetan Monastic Art (Xizang si miao yi shu), a Chinese-language illustrated book on Tibetan Buddhist temple art, edited by Li Xinjian with photographs by Li Xinjian, Cai Xianmin and Xue Jia (Chongqing Publishing House…
Tibetan Religious Art by Antoinette K. Gordon — $28.50 A 104-page study of Tibetan Buddhist religious art by Antoinette K. Gordon, published by Columbia University Press in 1952.
The Mystical Arts of Tibet by Glenn H. Mullin and Andy Weber — $11.87 The Mystical Arts of Tibet, with text by Glenn H. Mullin and Andy Weber, photography by Bard Wrisley and a foreword by the Dalai Lama (Longstreet Press, 1996).
Mandala: The Architecture of Enlightenment by Denise Patry Leidy and Robert A.F. Thurman — $28.50 Mandala: The Architecture of Enlightenment by Denise Patry Leidy and Robert A. F. Thurman, published by Asia Society Galleries in 1997.
Lot of 5 Arts of Asia magazines, January-October, 1991 — $47.50 Five issues of Arts of Asia, the Hong Kong bi-monthly magazine on Asian art and antiques, from the 1991 volume (Volume 21): January-February, March-April, May-June, July-August and a later issue whose cover feature is…
Himalayan Heritage by Adrian Storrs and Jimmie Storrs — $17.50 Himalayan Heritage is a 1988 illustrated book by Adrian and Jimmie Storrs, published by Tecpress Service Ltd. It deals with the cultural and artistic heritage of the Himalayan region, and the cover shows a gilded royal…
Architekturen im Himalaja by Manfred Gerner — $19.50 Architekturen im Himalaja is a German-language illustrated study of Himalayan architecture by Manfred Gerner, published by Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt in Stuttgart in 1987.
Buddhist Bronzes by Phoenix Art Museum — $71.70 Buddhist Bronzes (title page: A Collection of Buddhist Bronzes from Mongolia) is an exhibition catalogue published by the Phoenix Art Museum in 1969.
Tibet? by Kangri — $28.49 Tibet? is a 1982 illustrated catalogue of Tibetan carpets published by Kangri.
Tibetan Sculptures by Dongfan Liao — $14.25 Tibetan Sculptures is a short illustrated booklet of about 20 pages by Liao Dongfan, published in English by China Intercontinental Press in 2003.
Tibetan Handicrafts by Dongfan Liao — $14.25 Tibetan Thangkas is a short illustrated booklet by Liao Dongfan, published by China Intercontinental Press in 2003 (listed under the series title Tibetan Handicrafts).
Art of the World by Alexander B. Griswold and Chewon Kim — $28.49 The Art of Burma, Korea, Tibet is a survey of the arts of three Asian regions by Alexander B. Griswold (Burma), Chewon Kim (Korea) and Peter H. Pott (Tibet), published by Crown Publishers, New York, in 1964.
Visions of Tibet: Outer, Inner, Secret by Brian Kistler — $11.90 Visions of Tibet: Outer, Inner, Secret is a photographic book with photographs by Brian Kistler and an introduction by Robert Thurman, edited and designed by Thomas F. Yarnall.
Stolen Images of Nepal by Lain S. Bangdel — $28.49 Stolen Images of Nepal is a study of the theft of Nepalese sculptures and religious images, written by the Nepalese art historian and painter Lain S. Bangdel and published by the Royal Nepal Academy, Kathmandu, in 1989.
Visual Dharma: The Buddhist Art of Tibet by Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche — $12.23 Visual Dharma: The Buddhist Art of Tibet is an illustrated book of Tibetan Buddhist art by Chögyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, published by Shambhala in Berkeley and London in 1975.
Tibetan Amulets by Tadeusz Skorupski — $38.93 Tibetan Amulets is a study by Tadeusz Skorupski, published by White Orchid Press in Bangkok in 1983, with an introductory preface by Per Kværne.
Tibetan Medicine: The Buddhist Way of Healing by Tsewang Dolkar Khangkar — $6.34 Tibetan Medicine: The Buddhist Way of Healing is an illustrated introduction to Tibetan medicine by Dolkar Khangkar, published in 1998 by Lustre Press and Roli Books in an 84-page hardcover edition.
Sulima Pagoda by Niels Gutschow — $8.05 The Sulima Pagoda: East Meets West in the Restoration of a Nepalese Temple, edited by Erich Theophile and Niels Gutschow, was published by Weatherhill in 2003.
The Tibetan art of healing by Ian Baker — $7.58 The Tibetan Art of Healing is an illustrated introduction to traditional Tibetan medicine by Ian A. Baker, published by Thames & Hudson in 1997, with a preface by Deepak Chopra.
Selections of Seals of Successive Dynasties (Tibetan Treasures) by Mei Fu — $9.67 One of the 20 volumes of the Tibetan Treasures series from Morning Glory Publishers (2001): Selections of Seals of Successive Dynasties, edited by Fu Mei with English translation by Xiang Hongjia.
Selections of Murals of the Qing Dynasty (Tibetan Treasures) by Mei Fu — $8.10 One of the 20 volumes of the Tibetan Treasures series from Morning Glory Publishers (2001): Selections of Murals of the Qing Dynasty, edited by Fu Mei with English translation by Xiang Hongjia.
Celebrating Kalachakra Through Art by Jeremy Russell — $28.49 A book by Jeremy Russell on the Kalachakra tantra as expressed in Tibetan art, published by the Norbulingka Institute in 2006 (147 pages).
Tibetan Ting-Sha: Sacred Sound for Spiritual Growth by Robert Beer — $28.76 A short illustrated book on the ting-sha, the small Tibetan Buddhist ritual cymbals joined by a leather strap, by Robert Beer (Connections Book Publishing, 2004, 48 pages).
Tibet: Terreur Et Magie, Dieux Farouches Du Musée Guimet by Gilles Beguin — $28.49 An exhibition catalogue in French by Gilles Beguin, Tibet: Terreur et Magie, Dieux Farouches du Musée Guimet, published by the Musées royaux d'Art et d'Histoire, Brussels, in 1989.
Collection of Tibetan Art by Riverside Museum — $16.51 Collection of Tibetan Art, a paperback catalogue issued by the Riverside Museum in 1963.
Art and Culture of Nepal: An Attempt towards Preservation by Saphalya Amatya — $17.79 Art and Culture of Nepal: An Attempt towards Preservation by Saphalya Amatya (Nirala, second edition, 1999), a survey of Nepal's art and cultural heritage.
Tibetan and Nepalese Bronzes and Ritual Objects by Kenny and Higgins Asian Art — $28.49 Tibetan and Nepalese Bronzes and Ritual Objects, a dealer catalogue from Kenny and Higgins Asian Art, 1983.
Phurpa: Magisches Dolchritual Aus Tibet by Thomas Marcotty — $29.43 A German-language book on the Tibetan phurpa (phurba), the ritual dagger, Phurpa: Magisches Dolchritual aus Tibet by Thomas Marcotty (Fabri Verlag, 1997, German first edition).
Tsʻang chʻuan fo chiao tsao hsiang by 刘爱民 — $80.20 A Chinese-language illustrated book on the Tibetan Buddhist sculpture of the Eight Outer Temples at Chengde (Tianjin People's Fine Arts Publishing House, 1995, 123 pages).
Buddhist Iconography by Tibet House — $13.47 Buddhist Iconography, published by Tibet House in 1989.
Five Hundred Buddhist Deities by Musashi Tachikawa and Masahide Mori — $17.65 Five Hundred Buddhist Deities by Musashi Tachikawa and Masahide Mori, published by Adroit Publishers in 2000.
Tangkas: Buddhist Paintings from Tibet by American Museum of Natural History — $13.75 A book of postcards from the American Museum of Natural History (Pomegranate Communications, 2001) reproducing Tibetan Buddhist thangka paintings.
Losel: Alternative Forms of Tibetan Art by Kim Yeshi — $28.49 Losel: Alternative Forms of Tibetan Art by Kim Yeshi, published in 1985 by the Council for Religious and Cultural Affairs of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Die Lamaistische Kunst: In der Umwelt von Tibet by Siegbert Hummel — $24.68 A German-language study, Die Lamaistische Kunst in der Umwelt von Tibet, by the Tibetologist Siegbert Hummel, published by Otto Harrassowitz in 1955.
From The Land Of The Snows: Buddhist Art Of Tibet by Mead Art Museum — $28.49 An exhibition catalogue from the Mead Art Museum, Amherst College (1984), titled From the Land of the Snows: Buddhist Art of Tibet.
The Tibet Collection: Edward N. Crane Memorial by Newark Museum Association — $19.69 The Tibet Collection: Edward N. Crane Memorial, a 52-page publication of The Newark Museum Association.
Tibet: Bannières et Miniatures by Musée Cernuschi — $19.69 An exhibition catalogue from the Musee Cernuschi in Paris (1952), titled Tibet: Bannieres et Miniatures, on Tibetan banners (thangka painting) and miniatures.
Tibet: Sacred and Secular by Paul Alexander Draghi — $14.46 An exhibition catalogue by Paul Alexander Draghi from the Indiana University Museum of Fine Arts (1975), titled Tibet: Sacred and Secular, on Tibetan religious and secular art and objects.
Nepal: Art Treasures from the Himalayas by Ernst and Rose Leonore Waldschmidt — $22.80 Nepal: Art Treasures from the Himalayas, by Ernst and Rose Leonore Waldschmidt, published by Elek Books, London (1969), 160 pages.
Tempel in Nepal (Band I & II) by Adalbert J. Gail — $47.50 A German-language study of Hindu temples in Nepal by Adalbert J. Gail, Tempel in Nepal (Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt, Graz), issued in two volumes, 1984 and 1988.
The Sun Tsering Art School Manual for the basic drawing by Konchog Lhadrepa — $28.50 A basic drawing manual from the Tsering Art School, The Sun Tsering Art School Manual for the Basic Drawing by Konchog Lhadrepa (Shechen Publications, 2005).
Tibetan Mandala by Jean-Pierre Barrou — $23.27 A book on Tibetan mandalas, Tibetan Mandala: Art and Practice, the Wheel of Time, edited by Sylvie Crossman and Jean-Pierre Barou (Konecky & Konecky, 2004).
Xizang gu wen wu tian tie ji Zang yin by Dongguang Lin — $19.95 Antique Tibetan Thogchags and Seals (Xizang gu wen wu tian tie ji Zang yin) by Lin Dongguang, published in 2003, with English translation by Li Huiling.
Les Arts du Nepal et du Tibet by Gilles Béguin — $47.50 A French-language survey of the arts of Nepal and Tibet by Gilles Béguin, published by Desclée de Brouwer in 1987 in the École du Louvre series Les grandes étapes de l'art.
Buddhist Art of the Tibetan Plateau by Liu Lizhong — $34.19 Buddhist Art of the Tibetan Plateau by Liu Lizhong, an illustrated 358-page book published in English by Joint Publishing, Hong Kong, in 1988.