thang-ka
Buddhist art
Though they can be carried in religious processions, hung in temples or at family altars, or used to illustrate sermons, thang-kas are primarily tools for meditation. Thang-kas are painted in accordance with strict canonical guidelines rather than being spontaneous works of art in the sense of the West. They offer a lot of knowledge on the Tibetan religion in its subject matter. The wheel of life (Sanskrit bhava-cakra), which represents the various worlds of reincarnation, the Buddha surrounded by deities or lamas and scenes from his life, divinities gathered along the branches of a cosmic tree, and the symbolic visions believed to occur during the intermediate state (Bar-do) in between rebirth and death; horoscopes; maṇḍalas, universe-symbolic representations; Dalai and Paṇchen lamas; saints and great teachers, including the 84 mahāsiddhas ("great perfect ones").state (Bar-do) in between rebirth and death; horoscopes; maṇḍalas, universe-symbolic representations; Dalai and Paṇchen lamas; saints and great teachers, including the 84 mahāsiddhas ("great perfect ones").
The thang-ka originates from Indian fabric paintings, known as paṭas; it also comes from storytellers' scrolls and maṇḍalas, which were initially created on the ground for each ritual use. The picture takes inspiration from Chinese landscape painting as well as Central Asian, Nepali, and Kashmiri styles. Though they are rarely dated and never signed, thang-kas first emerge in the 10th century. Their strict devotion to tradition in subject matter, gestures, and symbols makes an exact chronology challenging.
Though the earlier ones are usually square, thang-kas are often rectangular in shape. The fabric is created by stretching linen or muslin over a frame, then applying a mixture of animal glue and slaked lime. To make the surface smooth and glossy, a shell is next applied to the thickened and dried surface. The figures are originally rendered in charcoal (though these days, they are frequently printed), and the color is added later. The color is typically mineral and is combined with gluten and lime. Lime white, red, arsenic yellow, vitriol green, carmine vermilion, and lapis are the main colors.Gold, indigo, and lapis blue were utilized as backdrops and embellishments. The artwork is affixed on a brocaded silk border, with a roller at the base and a flat stick at the top. Occasionally, a thin curtain of silk dust is added. The "door" of the thang-ka, a piece of silk that is always inserted into the lower brocade border, symbolizes the primordial makers, or the origin of all creation. Unless they are dedicated by a lama, paintings—which are typically created by laypeople under the guidance of lamas—have no religious significance.
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boddhist art