Thanka Painting
Thangkas tell stories from the life of the Buddha and other influential figures of Buddhism, graphically revealing the teachings and wisdom of Buddhism in the Art of Enlightenment. In practice they are tools to achieve and enhance meditation, establishing the environment for an individuals ascent to self-realisation.
Buddhists, among others, believe that we transmit and receive subtle energy all the time, with enlightened souls emitting a powerful positive energy through what is known as the Yogic Nervous System. This energy is tangible in their presence but also imbued, absorbed into the items they used, especially in meditation.
Items of worship and focus of meditation such as a thangka/mandala carry a 'spiritual weight' built up over time.
The life of a thangka can be hard in the Himalayas. Physically, they show the scars of their remarkable journeys, especially if they have been valued, and used as the tools of enlightenment that they were created to be. Originating in the monastic studio, treasured by their owners, often monks, and carried with them to be hung on invariably damp, mud-brick walls then illuminated by yak-butter lamps which are prone to spill and stain.
Thangkas are a portable type of art, the name thangka translates as 'able to be rolled-up' and as such they are carried by monks between monasteries, or on journeys. For this reason favourite or rare themed thangkas can have experienced many journeys across harsh, inhospitable landscapes amid extreme weather up high in the mountains and plateaux of the Himalayas.
The painting of thangka dates back to the time of Lord Buddha, Sakyamuni Buddha, around 500 BCE.
High quality schools, often based within monasteries, developed the art of thangka painting and with the rise of Nepalese schools the art form quickly became spread throughout Tibet. Initially developed by devout Lamas, or priests, across the northern Himalayas the production was a significant source of revenue for many remote hill communities and villages.
This unique form of art owes much to it’s various sources of inspiration. Heavily influenced by traditional Indian art styles, this is from where the basic form, proportions, style of textiles and ritual objects are originated. From Nepalese tradition the appearance and aspect of the figures is derived and then from China the landscapes and scenic elements. These combine to create the powerful and distinctive genre of the thangka.
Modern day, portable, cloth thangkas were developed from the 9th century as Nepalese artists responded to increasing demand from across the east and predominantly Tibet. Styles have changed and developed organically over time and region, from the earlier more muted, large scale imagery to the introduction of more vivid colours from the Nepalese artists in the 15th century and to more recently with the use of gold becoming popular.
Traditionally, a thangka is painted on cotton or silk with an embroidered silk border and a silk covering screen. Otherwise known as a ‘scroll-painting’, they were originally painted on palm leaves and to this day are still mainly created to similar proportions. As paper became more common the use of palm leaves gradually faded until finally disappearing as a medium in the 18th century.
Painted using a distemper technique, using minerals and organic pigments which are tempered using herbs and adhesive elements, the paintings retain much of their vibrancy and lustre over an extended lifespan. However, the use of delicate materials such as silk does require they be kept dry, a factor which prove difficult in the harsh environments of remote Himalayan monasteries and temples.
A thangka painting (also called - tanka, thanka etc., or Paubha, in Nepal) is a highly geometric composition, the size ratios between all figures follows a strict order of scale from The Buddha, always the largest image, to ordinary non-enlightened mortals in accordance with Buddhist principles. To convey the complex nature of each deity the artist is required to have a profound understanding of his subject, so to capture their various spiritual powers and teachings.
