A "Thangka,"
also known as "Tangka", "Thanka" or "Tanka"
(Nepali pronunciation: [ˈThaŋka]; Tibetan: ཐང་ཀ་; Nepal Bhasa:
Pauwa) is a Tibetan silk painting with embroidery,
usually depicting a Buddhist deity, scene, or mandala of some sort. The thankga is not a
flat creation like an oil painting or acrylic painting but consists of a picture panel which
is painted or embroidered over which a textile is mounted and then over which is laid
a cover, usually silk. Generally, thankgas
last a very long time and retain much of their lustre, but because of their
delicate nature, they have to be kept in dry places where moisture won't affect
the quality of the silk. It is sometimes called a scroll-painting.
These
thangka served as important teaching tools depicting the life of the Buddha,
various influential lamas and other deities and bodhisattvas.
One subject is The Wheel of Life,
which is a visual representation of the Abhidharma teachings (Art of Enlightenment).
To
Buddhists these Tibetan religious paintings offer a beautiful manifestation of
the divine, being both visually and mentally stimulating.
Thangka,
when created properly, perform several different functions. Images of deities
can be used as teaching tools when depicting the life (or lives) of the Buddha,
describing historical events concerning important Lamas, or retelling myths
associated with other deities. Devotional images act as the centerpiece during
a ritual or ceremony and are often used as mediums through which one can offer
prayers or make requests. Overall, and perhaps most importantly, religious art
is used as a meditation tool to help bring one further down the path to
enlightenment. The Buddhist Vajrayana practitioner uses a thanga image of
their yidam, or meditation
deity, as a guide, by visualizing “themselves as being that deity, thereby
internalizing the Buddha qualities (Lipton, Ragnubs).”
Historians note that Chinese
painting had a
profound influence on Tibetan painting in general. Starting from the 14th and
15th century, Tibetan painting had incorporated many elements from the Chinese,
and during the 18th century, Chinese painting had a deep and far-stretched
impact on Tibetan visual art.[1] According to Giuseppe
Tucci, by the time of the Qing
Dynasty, "a new Tibetan art was then developed,
which in a certain sense was a provincial echo of the Chinese 18th century's
smooth ornate preciosity.
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