DOI Heft:
No. 134 (May, 1904)
DOI Artikel:Le Mesurier, Lilian: Tibetan art
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19881#0318
Tibetan Art
tea-pot, illustrated on page 301, is a very of some old-engendered habit, which the conserva-
ancient specimen. It is devoid of all ornament tism of the East causes the people to accept un-
except the inscription in the picturesque Tibetan questioningly, although the circumstances which
character running round the lidless brim. Its gave rise to it may have completely altered. Now
beauty depends entirely on the quaint grace of there is clearly no object in publishing for the
outline, the curved spout and double handle, and benefit of copyists a statement of what it is in this
the irregular top representing the mitre-like cap of join which makes detection of an imitation com-
the monks. paratively easy to one who has studied many
In determining the age and authenticity of any originals. Partly it lies in the character of the join
Tibetan vessel (a point of some interest now that a itself, which is indescribable, and partly in the
good many copies are attempted in the Kashmir portion of the vessel where the join is generally
Valley), two matters may be borne in mind, viz., made. Kashmir imitators, as a rule, either
the weight and the join. The older Tibetan work forget the join altogether, or place it in a
is of surprising lightness compared with that of wrong position. In no case, though its pre-
modern times, the metal being beaten out much sence may be considered as proof positive of
more finely. The fact of greater weight does not, authenticity, can its absence be taken as a
of course, prove the object in question to be an final token of the reverse, for I have in my pos-
imitation, but it does in most cases indicate that it session certain flagons of unquestioned age
is not of any considerable antiquity. The matter and antecedents where the join is either
of the join is more im-
portant, as it is a valuable
proof of the genuine
Tibetan character of any
article. It is a point
easy to understand and
recognise with the help
of a little experience, but
somewhat difficult to explain
to those who are totally
unfamiliar with the work in
question. The majority of
Tibetan vessels are made
not of one sheet of metal,
but of two or more separate
pieces, and these are joined
with no endeavour at
concealment, but quite
plainly and obviously, a
broad irregular line mark-
ing where the join is.
One knows this from
experience, but the rea-
son for it is impossible
to decide. In the larger
pots and jars one might
suppose it due to a diffi-
culty in obtaining sheets of
copper or brass of a size
adequate for the purpose;
but in some of the smallest
objects the same identical
join is found, where there
can be no such necessity. I
canonly supposeitthe result
TIBETAN TEAPOT IN COPPER, WITH BRASS MEDALLIONS
tea-pot, illustrated on page 301, is a very of some old-engendered habit, which the conserva-
ancient specimen. It is devoid of all ornament tism of the East causes the people to accept un-
except the inscription in the picturesque Tibetan questioningly, although the circumstances which
character running round the lidless brim. Its gave rise to it may have completely altered. Now
beauty depends entirely on the quaint grace of there is clearly no object in publishing for the
outline, the curved spout and double handle, and benefit of copyists a statement of what it is in this
the irregular top representing the mitre-like cap of join which makes detection of an imitation com-
the monks. paratively easy to one who has studied many
In determining the age and authenticity of any originals. Partly it lies in the character of the join
Tibetan vessel (a point of some interest now that a itself, which is indescribable, and partly in the
good many copies are attempted in the Kashmir portion of the vessel where the join is generally
Valley), two matters may be borne in mind, viz., made. Kashmir imitators, as a rule, either
the weight and the join. The older Tibetan work forget the join altogether, or place it in a
is of surprising lightness compared with that of wrong position. In no case, though its pre-
modern times, the metal being beaten out much sence may be considered as proof positive of
more finely. The fact of greater weight does not, authenticity, can its absence be taken as a
of course, prove the object in question to be an final token of the reverse, for I have in my pos-
imitation, but it does in most cases indicate that it session certain flagons of unquestioned age
is not of any considerable antiquity. The matter and antecedents where the join is either
of the join is more im-
portant, as it is a valuable
proof of the genuine
Tibetan character of any
article. It is a point
easy to understand and
recognise with the help
of a little experience, but
somewhat difficult to explain
to those who are totally
unfamiliar with the work in
question. The majority of
Tibetan vessels are made
not of one sheet of metal,
but of two or more separate
pieces, and these are joined
with no endeavour at
concealment, but quite
plainly and obviously, a
broad irregular line mark-
ing where the join is.
One knows this from
experience, but the rea-
son for it is impossible
to decide. In the larger
pots and jars one might
suppose it due to a diffi-
culty in obtaining sheets of
copper or brass of a size
adequate for the purpose;
but in some of the smallest
objects the same identical
join is found, where there
can be no such necessity. I
canonly supposeitthe result
TIBETAN TEAPOT IN COPPER, WITH BRASS MEDALLIONS