A Handbook of Styles and Forms, originally published in French as La grammaire des formes et des styles and translated into English in 1979, is a comprehensive visual reference spanning 608 pages illustrated with drawings, maps, and plans
Compiled by Jeannine Auboyer together with contributors such as Jean Boisselier, Michel Beurdeley, Chantal Massonaud, and translated by Elizabeth and Richard Bartlett, the book offers a systematic survey of stylistic motifs and artistic conventions across diverse regions of Asia—from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia (Champa, Vietnam), to East Asia including China, Korea, and Japan

The handbook breaks down recurring motifs in art and design—architectural patterns, sculptural ornamentation, decorative forms on ceramics or objects, and iconographic gestures (e.g. Buddha’s mudrās). Organized region‑by‑region, it reveals both formal continuities and cultural adaptations, allowing readers to compare and contrast the evolution of aesthetic grammar across time and geography. It serves as both a teaching tool and reference for art historians, designers, architects, and students exploring the visual languages of “Oriental” traditions—understood here in its broader Asian context. The book’s strength lies in its clarity, scope, and typological rigor; though it remains descriptive and non‑interpretive, it remains a foundational visual lexicon for understanding pan‑Asian art forms.