Bhutanese slate carving is part of the 13 arts and crafts (zorig chusum) of Bhutan. One fine example of this is demonstrated in a set of intrinsic slate carvings depicting the eight manifestations of Guru Rinpoche, or Guru Tshen Gyed, and one of Guru Rinpoche. Housed overseas in a private collection for over 50 years, this set of historic slates has been returned to Bhutan for exhibition at The Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum and Cultural Centre in Bumthang.
The Third Druk Gyalpo, His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, gifted the slates to his friends Monica and Fritz von Schulthess in Switzerland during one of His Majesty’s personal visits to them in the 1960s. This set of nine intricately carved slates embodying Guru Rinpoche’s enlightened activity were safeguarded by the von Schulthess-Oltramare family of Switzerland. For over five decades, the family lovingly cared for the precious artwork. During an audience with His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo, the Hoch and Oltramare families (American and Swiss descendants of the von Schulthess family) gifted the slates back to Bhutan in honour of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo.
On June 4, 2024, during an intimate ceremony graced by Her Majesty Gyalyum Tseyring Pem Wangchuck and Her Royal Highness Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck, the Bhutan Foundation office in Thimphu received the sacred slates. The Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum and Cultural Centre, dedicated to preserving Bhutan’s cultural heritage, has been entrusted with these artifacts for continued safekeeping. The Bhutan Foundation, in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Dzongkha Development, is planning to conserve and display these relics to honour their artistic and spiritual significance at the Palace museum.
The Wangduechhoeling Palace Museum will soon open its doors to offer visitors a chance to engage with the collection in their ‘Lotus Born’ Gallery. This space, one of numerous beautiful galleries in the Palace Museum, celebrates the artistic achievements of Bhutanese craftsmen and offers a deep connection to the teachings of Guru Rinpoche, while highlighting the ongoing dialogue between art, spirituality, and cultural heritage.
