The Radiant Devi Sarasvati In Her Elements - Brocadeless Thangka

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$221.25

$295

(25% off)

A more beauteous Devi Sarasvati, or one more replete in terms of iconography, will be hard-found in contemporary art. This thangka has been handpicked from Nepal for its one-of-a-kind portrayal of the wife of Lord Brahma. As the supreme cosmic creator, He has Devi Sarasvati functioning by His side, presiding over learning and the arts. She and the elements of Her cosmic domain are indispensable to the divine creative process that He is responsible for.

She is tall and slender, the fairest of the Hindu devi pantheon. The undertones of Her roseate skin match the soft belly of the lotus She rests Her feet on. Clad in pink and blue brocaded silks, She floats through the air on Her vahana, the graceful swan. She scoops down into the mountains to pluck from the bosom of a cool blue lake a magical aquatic rose. Surrounded by silken sashes of red and green, Her figure is framed by an ornate bejewelled aureole. From Her delicate shringar to the mystic bird that is drawn to Her veena, this is an unusual yet apt Devi Sarasvati composition.

Note the Lord Ganesha and Lord Karttikeya figures that flank the foreground. They are accompanied by their respective vahanas, the mouse and the peacock, who are playing about in the soothing patch of Himalayan verdure. The view of the mountains and the sunset in the background is set off by the sheer proportion of mythical flora and fauna that frames the thangka.

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Item Code:	TZ22
Specifications:	Tibetan Thangka Painting
Dimensions	Size - 16.5 inch X 22 inch

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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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