Tibetan painting is a main form of Tibetan art and probably the
most popular among all forms of Tibetan
Buddhist Art. As those in Christianity and other religions, Tibetan
paintings play an important role in helping Tibetan people strengthen their
religious beliefs.
Tibet paintings
have absorbed the essence of Chinese, Indian and Nepalese pictorial arts during
its development while still kept its own traditional Tibetan artistic features.
Moreover, greatly influenced by Buddhist paintings, Tibet
painting is mainly Tibetan Buddhist painting, which can
be divided into rock painting, fresco painting, Thangka painting, and engraving
painting.
Thangka is excellent piece of Tibetan art works. Thangka is a
Tibetan painting depictin various facts of Buddhism of mystic sect. Thangka is
painted on silk or cotton fabrics using bright colors of many hues. Thangka is
of exceptional quality, hand-painted by Nepali and Tibetan artist. The word
"Thangka" is believed to have come from the Tibetan word "thang
yig" meaning a written record. Thangka are used as wall -decorations. For,
Lamas Thangka is object of religious importance. Thangka is an object of
devotion, an aid to spiritual practice, and a bringer of blessings
On the basis of techniques involved and materials used Thangka can
be grouped into several categories. Generally they are divided into two broad
categories: those which are painted (called bris-than in Tibetan) and those
which are made of silk either by weaving or with embroidery (called gos-than).
The painted Thangka are further divided into five categories:
Thangka with different colors in the background
Tibetan Thangkas can be divided into 3 types based on material and
technique: embroidered Thangka, painted Thangka and printed Thangka. Among all,
the painted Thangka is the most popular and common type of Tibetan Thangka arts.
Rock painting art is the oldest art form of Tibetan Paintings
which was prevalent from prehistoric times to Tubo period. The colorful Tibetan
rock drawings include moving of tribes, herding, hunting, war, religious
subjects and events, natural worshipping, animals, etc., depicting all aspects
of Tibetan lives and the natural environment. Among all, herding, hunting and
religious themes are the most frequent motifs.
Depicted either on rock surfaces or on huge stone surface, the
existing rock paintings of Tibet
can be divided into 2 kinds: petro glyphs (scratched and engraved pictures) and
pictographs (painted and chalked pictures).
Fresco painting, widely seen on the walls of all major temples,
monasteries and palaces, is a main art form of Tibetan paintings. Originated
from early rock paintings, Tibetan fresco art was somewhat influenced by Tibet's indigenous religion Bon and absorbed the
exotic style of Buddhist painting art from Chinese hinterland, India, as well as Nepal, and gradually formed their
own style.
Tibet frescos
cover a wide range of subjects, such as images of Buddha, founders of various
Buddhist sects, historical events, wars, legends, myths, social life of Tibetan
people and so on. Therefore, the fresco painting is the pictorial
encyclopedia of Tibetan religion, history and cultures.
Engraving painting, also called woodcut art, occurred later than the art forms above. It was the result of the introduction of the block printing technique into Tibet in the early 13th century. The processes of making engraving painting include drawing, plate making, plate cutting and printing. Most of the engraving paintings in Tibet are depictions of sutras and picture volumes of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Click here to see the images of the paintings.
Read further on Unique Tibet Culture, and more on Tibet Travel Advice, or Tibet Budget Tour, Budget Tibet Group Tour And for how to set up a Tibet tour, you are welcome to contact a local Tibet tour agency.
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