Spiritual Art and Artifacts include art, artifacts and ritual objects that embrace a reverence for and belief in spiritual power higher than ourselves. VA’s collection includes objects and creations reflecting Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Taoism, popular and folk religions, animism and Shamanism traditions. We also include ritual ceremonial items and objects that serve as a transitional link between the living and those in the afterworld which encompasses a broad range of objects: statues, carvings, paintings, textiles, jewelry, masks, pottery and other items.
Showing 1–12 of 22 results
Nandi is among the most frequent Hindu deities worshiped in public places, temples, homes, or on a home altar throughout India. As one of Hinduism’s mythical animals, Nandi is Shiva’s vahana, (his mount that transports him), attendant and leader of his attendants and guardian of all four-footed animals. A recumbent image of Nandi on a…
This antique brocaded bible or document holder from Bolivia is decorated with symbolic stylized flowers widely used in Christianity: passion flowers and roses. Nicolas Monardes, a 16th century Spanish doctor was one of the first Europeans to see a passion flower which is native to South America, who found 22 species and brought them back…
A stupa is a memorial shrine and a sacred burial mound to house sacred relics associated with the Buddha or other Buddhist saintly persons, a symbol of the Buddha’s enlightenment and a model of the Buddhist cosmos (McArthur, p. 179). Initially they were hemispherical mound-like shapes and were transformed in East Asia into a pagoda…
Antique copper based alloy bronze and brass vessels, figures, religious and functional items objects have long been the specialty of East Indian Dhorka Damar tribes metalsmiths who continue to use the same lost wax technique of metal casting used for over 4000 years. It is extremely labor intensive and time consuming process. Their folk art…
Antique copper-based alloy bronze and brass vessels, figures, religious and functional items objects have long been the specialty of East Indian Dhorka Damar tribes metal smiths who continue to use the same lost wax technique of metal casting used for over 4000 years, and extremely labor intensive and time consuming process. Their folk-art style of…
Antique copper-based alloy bronze and brass vessels, figures, religious and functional items objects have long been the specialty of East Indian Dhorka Damar tribes metal smiths who continue to use the same lost wax technique of metal casting used for over 4000 years, and extremely labor intensive and time consuming process. Their folk-art style of…
Antique copper based alloy bronze and brass vessels, figures, religious and functional items objects have long been the specialty of East Indian Dhorka Damar tribes metal smiths who continue to use the same lost wax technique of metal casting used for over 4000 years It is an extremely labor intensive and time consuming process. Their…
Antique copper-based alloy bronze and brass vessels, figures, religious and functional items objects have long been the specialty of East Indian Dhorka Damar tribes metal smiths who continue to use the same lost wax technique of metal casting used for over 4000 years, and extremely labor intensive and time consuming process. Their folk-art style of…
Tudi Gong is the Chinese Earth or Land God referred to by many names and often fondly referred to by commoners as “Grandpa.” He is a syncretic deity and tutelary deity, responsible for administrating and protecting the affairs of small towns and villages, especially issues concerning agriculture or wealth, and is believed to control the…
A kumkum container is as part of Hindu puja used for Hindu social and religious markings. Kumkum is dried and made into a paste combined with small amounts of slaked lime sometimes embellished with a few grains of rice that turns the turmeric reddish and is used to apply a tikka – a small dot…
Whimsical carvings of fu lions were the most popular mythical animals in Chinese homes, especially during the Ming and Qing dynasties, as free standing statues, designs on furniture, architectural elements and functional pieces in private homes or gardens or on a home altar to bring fu and the blessings to the home. This incredibly cute…
During the Ming and Qing dynasties small pairs of fu lions were very popular for use in private homes and outside as protective figures or in gardens. In the Buddhist tradition, they were portrayed as more friendly than fierce with their open mouths displaying sharp teeth but in a fanciful pose. They are a reminder that…
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