Repeated Background Figures - Updated
The Repeated Background Figures Page has been updated. Three general subject types are found when looking at Repeated Figure Compositions. These three types also correspond to an early, middle and late chronology in the development of Tibetan paintings. 1) Early paintings sometimes depict rows of what appear to be identical Buddhas (along with other figures in the lower registers). The subject of these paintings are drawn from the Charya and Yoga Tantras where a particular mandala will contain the 1000 Buddhas of the Eon. Although the imagery of the figures appears repeated, actually each of the Buddhas has a unique name and identity. Paintings such as those lost popularity after the 15th century. 2) Following after that time the subject of only painting the 1000 Buddhas as secondary figures in sets of five paintings became more popular. Again, as before, each of these Buddhas has a unique name and identity. 3) After approximatley the 17th century it became far more popular to create paintings with repeated identical secondary figures that all have the same appearance, name and identity.