Thangka Art
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About Thangka
Thangka art (hangka, tangka, thanka) is a traditional form of Tibetan Buddhist painting executed on cotton or silk canvas. However, it is widely practiced in India, especially in the Himalayan regions where Tibetan Buddhism is prevalent. Traditionally, Thangka paintings are sacred scrolls that were instrumental in teaching and meditation, depicting Buddhist themes and events including mandalas (symbolic representations of the universe), deities, and scenes from scriptures that resonated with devotional or religious sentiments.
History and Legend
Thangka art, or "scroll painting," has its origin in early Buddhist paintings like Ajanta Caves in India or Mogao Caves in China. It was initially developed in Tibet as a portable form of religious art, however when it reached back to India, the regions of Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh became centers for preserving and practicing this distinct art form.
As per some legends, King Uttrayan Bimbisara of Magodha commissioned a painting of Sakyamuni Buddha. However, the assigned artist could not draw him because of his blinding holiness. So, in the end, the artist observed Buddha’s reflection in nearby water and completed the painting. This precisely marked the origin of Thangka when the artist captured Buddha’s spiritual reflection making it a spiritual force of divinity.
Thangka art is rich in symbolism and often depicts scenes from Buddhist scriptures and legends. One common theme is the depiction of the Wheel of Life, which illustrates the Buddhist concept of samsara, or the cycle of rebirth. Similarly, the Mandala is another such motif, representing the cosmos is often used for meditation and spiritual guidance.
Technique
Creating a Thangka painting is a meticulous and time-consuming process. Artists use a mix of traditional materials, including cotton or silk for the canvas and natural pigments for the colors. At first, a well-treated, smooth canvas is stretched on a bamboo frame. The artist outlines the image with charcoal or pencil under strict religious guidelines as every stance, gesture, mood, and color has a deep meaning in Thangka painting. Natural pigments derived from minerals and plants are used to fill vibrant colors in the drawing. The use of color is of great significance in Thangka painting, as it assists in identifying the different deities. The key elements in the composition are often highlighted with gold leaf. Traditionally, the painted Thangkas are framed with rich silk brocades and finally covered with a protective curtain made of finer silk.
It can take months to complete a single detailed work of Thangka as it not only requires the skill of painting but the artist has to be well equipped with the knowledge of Buddhist scriptures and iconography. In earlier times, monks or lamas would only work on Thangka paintings after spending years devoted to Buddhist studies.
FAQs
A thangka, is a Tibetan Buddhist painting on cotton, silk appliqué, usually depicting a Buddhist deity, scene, or mandala.
The Tibetan Thangka painting finds its roots from the folk arts of pata and mandala. Even with its Indian base, it reached its zenith under the Nepalese and the Chinese artists. In the 7th century, buddhism developed as an art form under the reign of Songsten Gampo. His atelier included both Nepalese and Chinese artists and developed a style which included elements from both. During the 11th century, the Kashmiri monk Rinchen Zangpo introduced artists from Kashmir to Tibet. Together the Thangka painting was influenced by the central Indian, Kashmiri, Nepalese and its own indigenous art style which continued well into the 17th century. From the beginnings of the 18th century, the Chinese influence on the painting tradition also started to be felt.
The major theme in Thanks paintings remain Budhha and his life stories.
The three major Tibetan painting styles are Menri, Mensar and Karma Gadri. Since the Thangka paintings are governed by the iconographic rules, the three styles can be differentiated by their backgrounds. Menri style includes the representation of nature in a flow with much less focus on the details. The Mensar school is characterised by the details and round, thick clouds. The karma gadri paintings are not as prevalent today as the other two. They are depicted in a realistic manner and are not stylised. There is a lot of open space and the green colour pre-dominates.
The first stage in any Thangka are the central lines. The central vertical line is the most important axis. It forms the centre of the composition and the main figure. There are 8 major lines: 2 diagonals, the vertical and horizontal axis, the four outer borders. The deities are arranged according to the buddhist tradition in the order of: buddhas, boddhisattvas, goddesses, wrathful figures, and humans. Once the figures are drawn, the surrounding elements are made.
The paint is first applied to the background elements and then moved towards the main figures. Paints are applied one at a time and the lighter shades are applied first. The basic sequence of colours is blue, green, red, orange, yellow, ochre, brown, pink, white and gold. Once the initial layer of paint has dried, the Thangka is painted. There are two methods of shading: dry and wet. The outlining of the Thangka is done in the end. The colours for outlines vary according to the paint applied, from indigo to white.
Since Thangka is a piece of meditation, there is a set of rules and instructions that are to be followed before the artist begins painting it. Traditionally there are a lot of rules such as abstaining from meat, onion and garlic, alcohol, etc. However, in the most basic sense, it requires us to have a clean and pure mind, body and surrounding. While painting a Thangka, one should abstain from having impure thoughts. The most common way of doing this is by meditating.
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