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The Graceful Bodhisattva Gunayin, Viewed Over The Himalayas - Brocadeless Thangka

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$245

Padmapani Avalokiteshvara is the most widely loved Bodhisattva. In Sanskrit, ‘avalokita’ roughly means ‘to look on’, which makes this deity the guardian supervisor of the human realm. Some interpret His name to mean ‘ishvara (lord) of all that is drishyam (seen/perceived)’. The figure you see on this thangka is the female form of Avalokiteshvara. Her name is Guanyin, which in Chinese means ‘one who hears’. Note how Her head is tilted slightly downwards at an angle, as if She is listening to the longing of Her devotees as She looks upon.

Like most Buddhist devis, She has the tall, slender form of the Himalayan ascetic. Her silken skirts drop to Her feet, barely revealing a long leg; while Her torso is strategically concealed by tigerskin and a hand raised in blessing. Coiled amidst Her eight arms is a sea of sashes floating about Her like the gorgeous black hair across Her shoulders. The quintessentially Buddhist five-spired crown and gold kundalas frame Her lovely, youthful face. It bears an expression of maternal comfort and bliss.

Indeed She is the Devi of compassion and mercy. In one of Her anterior hands She holds the mythical healing potion of Tibetan medical folklore. Generously She dispenses of it upon this loka. Surrounded by flowers (from Her pedestal to Her aureole) and offerings (in the foreground), the pristine stupa in the background completes the composition.

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Item Code:	TZ90
Specifications:	Tibetan Thangka Painting
Dimensions	Size - 13.7 inches X 17.7 inches

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Unveiling the Divine Art: Journey into the Making of Thangkas

A Thangka is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting that usually depicts a Buddhist Deity (Buddha or Bodhisattva), a scene, or a mandala. These paintings are considered important paraphernalia in Buddhist rituals. They are used to teach the life of the Buddha, various lamas, and Bodhisattvas to the monastic students, and are also useful in visualizing the deity while meditating. One of the most important subjects of thangkas is the Bhavacakra (the wheel of life) which depicts the Art of Enlightenment. It is believed that Thangka paintings were developed over the centuries from the murals, of which only a few can be seen in the Ajanta caves in India and the Mogao caves in Gansu Province, Tibet. Thangkas are painted on cotton or silk applique and are usually small in size. The artist of these paintings is highly trained and has a proper understanding of Buddhist philosophy, knowledge, and background to create a realistic and bona fide painting.

The process of making a thangka begins with stitching a loosely woven cotton fabric onto a wooden frame. Traditionally, the canvas was prepared by coating it with gesso, chalk, and base pigment.

After this, the outline of the form of the deity is sketched with a pencil or charcoal onto the canvas using iconographic grids. The drawing process is followed in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scriptures. The systematic grid helps the artist to make a geometrical and professional painting. When the drawing of the figures is finalized and adjusted, it is then outlined with black ink.

Earlier, a special paint of different colors was made by mixing powdered forms of organic (vegetable) and mineral pigments in a water-soluble adhesive. Nowadays, artists use acrylic paints instead. The colors are now applied to the sketch using the wet and dry brush techniques. One of the characteristic features of a thangka is the use of vibrant colors such as red, blue, black, green, yellow, etc.

In the final step, pure gold is coated over some parts of the thangka to increase its beauty. Due to this beautification, thangkas are much more expensive and also stand out from other ordinary paintings.

Thangka paintings are generally kept unrolled when not on display on the wall. They also come with a frame, a silken cover in front, and a textile backing to protect the painting from getting damaged. Because Thangkas are delicate in nature, they are recommended to be kept in places with no excess moisture and where there is not much exposure to sunlight. This makes them last a long time without their colors fading away. Painting a thangka is an elaborate and complex process and requires excellent skills. A skilled artist can take up to 6 months to complete a detailed thangka painting. In earlier times, thangka painters were lamas that spent many years on Buddhist studies before they painted.

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