PBA Galleries

Pair of Kamawa-sa texts, each hand-painted on lacquered panels. A smaller book, painted on 15 panels, measures 11.5x50.5 cm (4½x19¾"). Each panel with 6 lines of text on each side, except for the two panels at the end. The smaller books has wooden covers with elaborate red lacquer and gilt decoration. The larger book, painted on 14 panels, measures 17.5x61 cm (7x24"). Each panel has 7 lines of text on each side, except for the two panels at the end. The larger book has wooden covers, painted gold and embellished with semi-precious stones and cut glass decoration.

All housed in a wooden chest, painted gold and decorated all over with numerous pieces of cut glass, with raised floral decoration. The wooden box measures 18.5x71.5x26 cm (7¼x28¼x10¼").Kamawa-sa texts pertain to the conduct, ordination, and investiture of monks, and were commissioned as works of merit on the occasion of a son entering the monkshood. Each page is made from four folded layers of cotton or china cloth, thickly coated with layers of orange red or brown lacquer which have hardened to create a smooth, firm, shiny yet pliable surface. The ink used to paint the Pali text is made from tamarind seed.