Wheel of Supreme Bliss

The presentation Wheel of Supreme Bliss features Buddhist statues and ritual objects from the Himalayan region that are now part of the private Cromme Collection. The Cromme Collection formerly belonged to the innovative art photographer Eddy Novarro (c. 1925–2003) and his wife and muse Nana Novarro de Crainova (d. 1986). The Novarros acquired these artifacts prior to and during their 1969 to 1972 Himalayan expedition, a spiritual journey to Nepal, Bhutan and northern India. Their encounters with religious leaders and Himalayan art specialists, as well as their lifelong friendship with the 14th Dalai Lama, enriched the Novarros’ great interest in Tibetan religious culture. Twenty-three selected works of art from the collection, dating from the 16th to the 20th centuries, are discussed in detail in the catalogue to provide interested readers and students of Himalayan art and culture with comprehensive information on iconography, style, and historic background. The accompanying colour photos and details illustrate the beauty of Buddhist artifacts.