Although over 3500 miles apart and with entirely different topographies, histories and faiths, the religious landscapes of these two regions were created with many of the same motives: each highlight the richness of their respective artistic and architecture traditions. In this illustrated lecture, Susan Whitfield will introduce the art and architecture of the Buddhist tradition of the Swat Valley in today’s Pakistan, considering comparisons with Christian East Anglia.
Susan Whitfield is Professor of Silk Road Studies at the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures (SISJAC) at the University of East Anglia where she is working with colleagues on the Nara to Norwich project (NaratoNorwich.org). She has travelled widely across much of the Silk Roads, written numerous article and books, and curated several exhibitions.