This handsome book brings us to the wall paintings of Buddhist temples in Thailand. Leksukhum (art history, Univ. of Silkadorn, Bangkok) explores the history of these paintings, commenting on the styles of the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya schools, which flourished in the 13th through the 18th centuries, as well as on the Rattanakosin schools of the 18th and 19th centuries. The work traces the sources of artistic inspiration from ancient Buddhist texts, including The Three Worlds, Ten Great Jatakas, and episodes in the life of the Buddha. The murals, captured by the French photographer Gilles Mermet (Mosaics of Roman Africa: Floor Mosaics from Tunisia, LJ 2/1/97), reveal the inherent contradictions and harmonies at work in these large-scale paintings. A fabulously illustrated feast for art lovers, students of Buddhism, and art historians, this is one of the few books in the last two decades to focus on Buddhist art in Thailand. Recommended for deep art collections in academic and public libraries. Lucia S. Chen, NYPL
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