Our monks of the monastic council have preserved antique paintings of altars and deities from over two centuries before the advent of photography. The paintings depict deep spiritual ethos and philosophical teachings of eternal dharma. Many of these paintings are in dilapidated or damaged condition and thereby undergo restoration before we share them through our nonprofit platform. When properly restored, these paintings bring to life a divine ethos from the Sanskrit heritage, linking diverse aspects of scriptures as a singular object of contemplation. These rare arts take on the form of living altars in a connoisseur’s or a devotee’s home, emitting an aura of divinity while beholding the rich lore and storyline they bring with them. We believe that each rare sacred art published as altar painting is worth more than a million words.
Antique Altar Paintings
Remastering Process
Once a plan is in place, the selected old-world painting is scanned for initial digital restoration. Then this partially restored image is enlarged by up to 800 times using the state of the art software. This resampled image is again digitally cleaned up. The image is then printed on a coated canvas and remastered by a fine art painter with oil or acrylic colours, bringing the original to life. Elements of devotion which are needed to complete the altar art are repaired at this stage.
Once the painting is complete, a photograph of the canvas art is taken for the final digital retouching. During this final digital remastering stage, micro level detailing and final colour adjustments are brought about. Missing elements inserted digitally at this stage are then made to match and blend with the overall painting. Thereafter, giclée printing is undertaken on archival paper to complete the painstaking detailing.
Collectors Prints
The released individual prints or limited edition prints are shared with the public in two sizes. Our 8 x 10 inch prints are designed for smaller spaces or for personal altars. These printed artworks are individually hand cut before they are stored inside archival sleeves.
The larger 16 x 20 inch prints are typically matted and framed using anti-reflective glass and made available through our annual benefit event known by its Sanskrit name, Sattwadharman. The large framed prints are usually signed with a citation by the head monk for posterity. Selected unframed 8 x 10 inch prints are made affordably available at publications.hansavedas.org
What You Support
Your donation towards this project supports the research of scriptures assisted by staff who typeset Sanskrit, digitization and the remastering process which can total 100 to 150 hours by two to three trained artists. When you purchase a print you pay for the archival paper, proofing and the giclée printing using the latest printing technology, plus physical and digital infrastructure needed for long-term preservation by our nonprofit organization. Through your pledges, we will be able to invest in the infrastructure, properly compensate the team of artists, and streamline future releases of archived originals.
