Violence and Serenity ─ Late Buddhist Sculpture from Indonesia

Reichl, a curator of Southeast Asian art at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, has written an in-depth study of Buddhist sculpture made in Indonesia in the 14th and 15th centuries that examines and rejects long-held assumptions about their association with historical figures and the hybrid form of Buddhism in Indonesia. To make her argument, Reichl uses extensive reading of historical and religious texts (which are extensively quoted) alongside analysis of the sculpture themselves and the art historical interpretations of them. The volume, which is well illustrated with b&w plates, will be of interest beyond the art historical community to anyone interested in the history of Indonesia, its politics, culture, and religion. Annotation c2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)