Writing in 1790, William Hurd noted the icons of Ceylon were "fantastic and monstrous," while one, "formed like a giant," was called "Buddu." The accompanying engraving of the Buddha shows a curious bearded figure with a tall crown and sword held aloft in his right hand.🧵 🗃️ 📜 #SriLanka

Writing in 1790, William Hurd noted the icons of Ceylon were "fantastic and monstrous," while one, "formed like a giant," was called "Buddu." The accompanying engraving of the Buddha shows a curious bearded figure with a tall crown and sword held aloft in his right hand.🧵 🗃️ 📜 #SriLanka

Located in the mountains of Yunnan, China, the Qiongzhu Temple houses a collection of fantastic Buddhist statues. This Thousand-Armed Guanyin icon is surrounded by over 200 arhat disciples, comprising part of a Five Hundred Arhat image collection over a century old. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Sinology #筇竹寺

Located in the mountains of Yunnan, China, the Qiongzhu Temple houses a collection of fantastic Buddhist statues. This Thousand-Armed Guanyin icon is surrounded by over 200 arhat disciples, comprising part of a Five Hundred Arhat image collection over a century old. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Sinology #筇竹寺

Following the success of colonial pavilions at World’s Fairs, France initiated its own independent Colonial Expositions in the 1890s. In Marseilles in 1906, famous architectural sites from French Indochina were reconstructed, including a towering Buddhist pagoda representing Annam.🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Vietnam

Following the success of colonial pavilions at World’s Fairs, France initiated its own independent Colonial Expositions in the 1890s. In Marseilles in 1906, famous architectural sites from French Indochina were reconstructed, including a towering Buddhist pagoda representing Annam.🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Vietnam

An astounding 400,000 hand-colored photographic prints were used for all editions of Francis Brinkley’s Japan: Described and Illustrated by the Japanese. Produced in Boston between 1897 and 1898, this work was the pinnacle of photographic book publishing at the turn of the century. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

An astounding 400,000 hand-colored photographic prints were used for all editions of Francis Brinkley’s Japan: Described and Illustrated by the Japanese. Produced in Boston between 1897 and 1898, this work was the pinnacle of photographic book publishing at the turn of the century. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

Advances in chromolithography in the 1870s and 80s helped flood America and Europe with inexpensive, colorful imagery. This had the greatest impact in advertising with the introduction of trade cards, often bearing humorous or provocative images to elicit consumer interest. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #France

Advances in chromolithography in the 1870s and 80s helped flood America and Europe with inexpensive, colorful imagery. This had the greatest impact in advertising with the introduction of trade cards, often bearing humorous or provocative images to elicit consumer interest. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #France

In 1900, traveling to Darjeeling meant gazing upon the grandeur of the snow-capped Himalayas and imagining the inaccessible lands that lay beyond them in Tibet. Visiting Darjeeling at this time also meant having the rare opportunity to encounter and observe real Tibetan lamas.🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Tibet

In 1900, traveling to Darjeeling meant gazing upon the grandeur of the snow-capped Himalayas and imagining the inaccessible lands that lay beyond them in Tibet. Visiting Darjeeling at this time also meant having the rare opportunity to encounter and observe real Tibetan lamas.🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Tibet

The Kotte Rajamaha Vihara was founded in the 15th century under royal patronage to house a sacred tooth relic of the Buddha. At the time, some considered this the holiest site in Sri Lanka, greater than Aśoka’s Bodhi tree in Anuradhapura and the Buddha’s footprint on Adam’s Peak. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #SriLanka

The Kotte Rajamaha Vihara was founded in the 15th century under royal patronage to house a sacred tooth relic of the Buddha. At the time, some considered this the holiest site in Sri Lanka, greater than Aśoka’s Bodhi tree in Anuradhapura and the Buddha’s footprint on Adam’s Peak. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #SriLanka

This photo casts a rather uncanny site with unnaturally bright side lighting, awkwardly wooden human figures, and a very odd Buddhist icon. This is not a real Chinese Buddhist temple, but a movie set designed for a famous 1929 Paramount film. 🧵 🗃️ 📜

This photo casts a rather uncanny site with unnaturally bright side lighting, awkwardly wooden human figures, and a very odd Buddhist icon. This is not a real Chinese Buddhist temple, but a movie set designed for a famous 1929 Paramount film. 🧵 🗃️ 📜

Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage site in Myanmar, thought to enshrine eight hair strands of the Buddha. Philip Klier's photo, taken in the 1880s, shows the activities of both monks and merchants on the main platform in front of the pagoda. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Myanmar

Shwedagon Pagoda is the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage site in Myanmar, thought to enshrine eight hair strands of the Buddha. Philip Klier's photo, taken in the 1880s, shows the activities of both monks and merchants on the main platform in front of the pagoda. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Myanmar

During the Golden Age of American amusement parks, New York’s Coney Island was king, sporting the trifecta of the Steeplechase, Dreamland, and Luna Park. Opening in May 1904, Dreamland advertised a "faithful reproduction of a Japanese temple," attempting to pull customers away from rivals.🧵 🗃️ 📜

During the Golden Age of American amusement parks, New York’s Coney Island was king, sporting the trifecta of the Steeplechase, Dreamland, and Luna Park. Opening in May 1904, Dreamland advertised a "faithful reproduction of a Japanese temple," attempting to pull customers away from rivals.🧵 🗃️ 📜

This Jizō statue stood on the banks of Lake Ashi in Hakone for 150 years when Felice Beato took this photo in the 1860s. Within a decade, the lakeside statue would be vandalized, sold, and removed in the aftermath of the Buddhist persecution during the early Meiji era. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

This Jizō statue stood on the banks of Lake Ashi in Hakone for 150 years when Felice Beato took this photo in the 1860s. Within a decade, the lakeside statue would be vandalized, sold, and removed in the aftermath of the Buddhist persecution during the early Meiji era. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

Nipponophone was an early Japanese record company which released the first domestically-produced phonograph to commercial success in 1910. The company’s president, American Frederick Horn, adopted a large sitting Buddha for advertising, but with a subtle homage to another US brand.🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

Nipponophone was an early Japanese record company which released the first domestically-produced phonograph to commercial success in 1910. The company’s president, American Frederick Horn, adopted a large sitting Buddha for advertising, but with a subtle homage to another US brand.🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

The earliest surviving photographs of Japan were shot by Eliphalet Brown as part of the Perry Expedition in 1853/54. Among many landscapes, Brown also took a few portraits, including this anonymous Buddhist priest at Shimoda – likely the earliest surviving photo of a Buddhist cleric.🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

The earliest surviving photographs of Japan were shot by Eliphalet Brown as part of the Perry Expedition in 1853/54. Among many landscapes, Brown also took a few portraits, including this anonymous Buddhist priest at Shimoda – likely the earliest surviving photo of a Buddhist cleric.🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

We're returning Monday with a new series of objects to explore! 👀 Starting off with this lithograph daguerreotype from the Perry Expedition to Japan in 1853. 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

We're returning Monday with a new series of objects to explore! 👀 Starting off with this lithograph daguerreotype from the Perry Expedition to Japan in 1853. 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

✨ Celebrating our first 100 Objects | 100 Stories ✨ Sort available posts on Bluesky using #Buddhasinthewest | All posts archived here: tinyurl.com/4kmcwp87 🔍 🗃️ 📜

✨ Celebrating our first 100 Objects 100 Stories ✨ Buddhas in the West is a public scholarship project exploring the historical circulation and representation of Buddhist imagery around the globe. 🌎 Thank you for your support! 🙏🏼 #Buddhasinthewest

Following a pair of successful illustrated works on China, publisher Jacob van Meurs secured the rights to issue an illustrated book on Japan in 1669. The engravings, such as we see with the curious Buddhist icon here, were criticized for departing "a long way from the truth." 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

Following a pair of successful illustrated works on China, publisher Jacob van Meurs secured the rights to issue an illustrated book on Japan in 1669. The engravings, such as we see with the curious Buddhist icon here, were criticized for departing "a long way from the truth." 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

Artifact #100 coming tomorrow! Its going to be a very popular Buddhist icon - but will you be able to identify who it is? 🔍

Identified as a "Buddhist priest" and holding a prayer wheel, a figure such as this would have passed for a generic Tibetan lama in the visual language of the early 20th century. In this case, however, we also know this monk's name: Sherab Gyatso. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Tibet

Identified as a "Buddhist priest" and holding a prayer wheel, a figure such as this would have passed for a generic Tibetan lama in the visual language of the early 20th century. In this case, however, we also know this monk's name: Sherab Gyatso. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Tibet

Just after the discovery of the Buddha’s relics at Piprahwa in 1898, James Ricalton was planning a photographic tour of the world. One of his planned stops was to visit the most famous Buddhist relic of his era, the Buddha’s tooth enshrined in the capital city of Kandy. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #SriLanka

Just after the discovery of the Buddha’s relics at Piprahwa in 1898, James Ricalton was planning a photographic tour of the world. One of his planned stops was to visit the most famous Buddhist relic of his era, the Buddha’s tooth enshrined in the capital city of Kandy. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #SriLanka

After the 1906 earthquake, San Francisco's Tin How Temple was one of a fraction of Chinese religious institutions to rebuild, reopening in 1911 on the footprint of the original building. Despite the caption, this photo does not show the pre-1906 altar, nor is it a San Francisco temple.🧵 🗃️ 📜 #AAPI

After the 1906 earthquake, San Francisco's Tin How Temple was one of a fraction of Chinese religious institutions to rebuild, reopening in 1911 on the footprint of the original building. Despite the caption, this photo does not show the pre-1906 altar, nor is it a San Francisco temple.🧵 🗃️ 📜 #AAPI

Inspired by the success in San Jose and Sacramento, Izumida Junjō (1866–1951) arrived in Los Angeles in 1904 and opened the city’s first Buddhist temple for Japanese immigrants. After raising funds and purchasing land, a newer and larger temple was opened in 1911 on Savannah Street. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #AAPI

Inspired by the success in San Jose and Sacramento, Izumida Junjō (1866–1951) arrived in Los Angeles in 1904 and opened the city’s first Buddhist temple for Japanese immigrants. After raising funds and purchasing land, a newer and larger temple was opened in 1911 on Savannah Street. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #AAPI

Often overshadowed by San Francisco, by 1890 Fresno's Chinatown was one of the largest in California and the center of much religious activity. Notably, among the few surviving 19th century Chinese American religious icons, we can include those from Fresno's Temple of Many Saints. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #AAPI

Often overshadowed by San Francisco, by 1890 Fresno's Chinatown was one of the largest in California and the center of much religious activity. Notably, among the few surviving 19th century Chinese American religious icons, we can include those from Fresno's Temple of Many Saints. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #AAPI

Tales of Tourist Photos, Pt. 2: Old “wet-plate” #photography required glass negatives to be coated, sensitized, exposed, and developed in less than fifteen minutes. Using the dry-plate method, negatives could be prepared beforehand; Wilhelm Burger was among the first to use this in Japan. 🧵 🗃️ 📜

Tales of Tourist Photos, Pt. 2: Old “wet-plate” #photography required glass negatives to be coated, sensitized, exposed, and developed in less than fifteen minutes. Using the dry-plate method, negatives could be prepared beforehand; Wilhelm Burger was among the first to use this in Japan. 🧵 🗃️ 📜

Tales of Tourist Photos, Pt. 1: If photography changed the way people viewed the world, the Eastman Kodak camera transformed the late Victorian practice of tourism. The handheld Kodak made photography available to casual amateurs, creating the vernacular form of snapshot photography. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

Tales of Tourist Photos, Pt. 1: If photography changed the way people viewed the world, the Eastman Kodak camera transformed the late Victorian practice of tourism. The handheld Kodak made photography available to casual amateurs, creating the vernacular form of snapshot photography. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Japan

The Atlas Chinensis by Olfert Dapper (1636–1689) is among the most visually embellished European treatments of China from the late 17th century. Never traveling to Asia, Dapper used reports from the 2nd and 3rd Dutch embassies to China and consulted older Jesuit accounts. 🧵 🗃️ 🀄️📚 #China

The Atlas Chinensis by Olfert Dapper (1636–1689) is among the most visually embellished European treatments of China from the late 17th century. Never traveling to Asia, Dapper used reports from the 2nd and 3rd Dutch embassies to China and consulted older Jesuit accounts. 🧵 🗃️ 🀄️📚 #China

In 1871, Harper’s Weekly published a wood engraving depicting the interior of a San Francisco Chinese temple, a rare print subject before the 1906 earthquake. Clues suggest it shows the main hall of Eastern Glory Temple located off Jackson St. on St. Louis Alley. 🧵 🗃️ 📜 #Chinatown