NEWS JOURNAL VISITS GALLERY IN SEARCH OF FAR AWAY ART

Recently, the News Journal featured an article focusing on our brilliant new collection of authentic thangkas. We've taken a small excerpt from the article, and to read more, click on the image of the thangka to the left. To see these amazing, hand-painted masterpieces, visit our gallery!

Argue all you want about the merits of true-to-life imagery versus representative art. The collection of Tibetan thangkas at New Moon Rugs in Wilmington should appease fans of both.

The thangkas (pronounced TAHN-kahs), on display through the end of May, are at once examples of artistic mastery and of mythological worlds and their inhabitants. They mostly were created as teaching tools for Buddhists, thanks to their highly symbolic nature. They often were made on scrolls, the better for transport among monasteries or homes.

More than 60 thangkas are at New Moon, but only five are on walls. One of those, the most complex and valuable of the lot, is a scroll. Another is a small, framed rendering of a voluptuous goddess. Three are tacked beside each other on one wall. The rest are in protective sleeves in a stand-up portfolio at the back of the store.

The paintings, made with combinations of watercolor, gouache and gold leaf, generally range in size from 18-by-24 inches to 3-by-4 feet. They at first glance resemble posters -- size is a factor, but more important is the depth of detail, the smooth and clear delineation of color.

But make no mistake -- what might seem to be prints are the real things.

EVENTS

We recently opened our brand new Gallery at 1901 Delaware Ave., just around the corner from our gallery on North Lincoln St. We offer beautiful antique and contemporary home accent pieces from Asian and European world markets including the incomparable Hugues Chevalier furniture line as well as our award winning New Moon luxury rugs hand-made in Nepal. We also offer the most interesting rug productions from around the world, including antique reproductions, European and contemporary designs, and Hooked rugs in hard-to-find large sizes. In addition, we have one of the finest collections of antique carpets in the U.S, both decorative and collector rugs.

Our rugs are featured in some of the most prominent homes in the country and abroad, and have been featured in the most influential publications such as House Beautiful, Interior Design, Veranda, Western Interiors and Architectural Digest.

We work with Interior Designers, Architects and homeowners from all over and would love to work with you!