Asian Art Adds A Touch Of Class To Any Home

Asian art goes back centuries which makes it one of the oldest forms of artwork currently available. Considering art, the first thought that most likely comes to your mind is paintings. What you may not already know, however, is that there are many assorted types of Asian art like wooden Burmese statues, Buddha statues, copper statues, and lacquerware, to name a few. Burma, which is now known as Myanmar, has a long standing reputation for crafting unique, quality art work. The Burmese people, heavily influenced with Buddhism, have produced a number of Burmese statues. Some lesser known lacquerware that are treasured from Burma are Burmese Manuscripts. These ornate manuscripts of religious texts, which are still in use today to ordain monks, can be easily identified by their extravagant decoration that gleams with gold and silver. Sometimes, you may be lucky and find a mother-of-pearl inlay.

Moreover, Buddhist art are popular artifacts found in many Asian homes today. The Buddha statues are often considered sacred pieces and have been used in assisting with meditation which helps to epitomize a clear mind and soul. these statues are commonly cast of bronze or brass and are made by making a mold from an existing bronze image, then using this mold to fabricate identical forms of the same image. You will sometimes find the images of Buddha in a reclining position, holding symbolic objects or making symbolic gestures. The Buddha images that are cast in metal are normally hollow inside.

In ancient times, objects were preserved by encasing them in lacquer. Like icing on a cake, the lacquer object, when set, were ornamented. You will find Burmese and Sukhothai lacquerware like boxes, trays, bowls, plates, cups, and betel nut boxes. These pieces are sought after by Asian art collectors and make a fine addition to any contemporary Asian home. No Burmese home is complete with a traditional betel nut box. The sturdy boxes are cylindrical in shape and are woven with bamboo. Inside the box you will find shallow trays used for holding the necessary items for making betel. The betel was probably the first chewing gum and lipstick combination as it was often chewed by young Burmese women as a method to redden their lips.

In contrast, Sukhothai Lacquerware are mainly old Burmese objects that have been restored, polished with lacquer and bejeweled with the traditional bamboo inlay distinctive of the Sukhothai pattern. There are just a few families left that are still mastering this craft and their rareness tends to be a valuable collectors item.

The exceptional quality workmanship and attention to detail on Asian art pieces are nothing short of spectacular. It is certain that you will value these fine works of art for years to come. You can find many of these works of art in private collections, museums and by shopping online art galleries.

Oriental Living has been offering Asian Art since 1991. Visit their
online art gallery for unique artifacts and other museum quality contemporary Asian art that you will treasure for years to come.