Artwork

Schuldhess, Jörg Shimon - Laterne, Laterne zum Tibetanischen Totenbuch

Jörg Shimon Schuldhess , 1971

Schuldhess, Jörg Shimon - Laterne, Laterne zum Tibetanischen Totenbuch is an unspecified painting by Jörg Shimon Schuldhess. It dates from 1971 and is held in the collection of the Poets and City Museum Liestal.

About this work

Overview

Jörg Shimon Schuldhess’s 1971 work titled *Laterne, Laterne zum Tibetanischen Totenbuch* is an image‑based composition in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The piece centers on a seated, cross‑legged figure whose serene expression contrasts with an elaborate, patterned backdrop rendered in vivid reds, golds and blues.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure appears to float above a skull‑like form bearing a single eye, a motif that may allude to themes from the Tibetan Book of the Dead, such as transition and the intermediate state between life and death. The calm posture and glowing orange aura suggest contemplation amid a chaotic surrounding.

Technique & Style

Schuldhess employs dense, swirling motifs and geometric wheels that fill the dark field, creating a sense of movement. The use of saturated primary colors against a deep background, combined with intricate texture work, produces a luminous effect that emphasizes the figure’s orange glow, enhancing the work’s otherworldly atmosphere.

History & Provenance

Created in 1971, the artwork entered the holdings of the Museum of Ethnography, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the institution’s interest in works that intersect visual art with ethnographic and spiritual subjects, particularly those referencing non‑Western religious texts.

Context

The piece emerges from a period when Western artists increasingly engaged with Eastern philosophies and esoteric traditions. Schuldhess’s reference to the Tibetan Book of the Dead situates the work within broader 1970s explorations of mysticism, ritual, and the visual representation of metaphysical concepts.