News

Gesar Norbu Dradul: A Single Painting Depicting the Forms of Gesar According to the Writings of Mipham Gyatso. 

The example of a single painting with many forms of Gesar is very important for the study of Gesar iconography because it follows exactly the textual descriptions as written by Mipam Jamyang Namgyal Gyatso (1846-1912). The forms of Gesar depicted in this composition are some of the best known and most popular in the 20th century religious practice and in the artistic representations - painting and sculpture.

The single painting is of a standard medium size and is over flowing with figures of all sizes. The central and largest figure is that of Gesar Norbu Dradul in Dralha (dgra lha) warrior appearance, (full article) ...

(Due to length, the section above was edited out of the publication From the Treasury of Tibetan Pictorial Art: Painted Scrolls of the Life of Gesar. Editor-in-Chief, Zhang Changhong. Forward by Leonard van der Kuijp. Article by Jeff Watt. Sichuan Museum, 2012. ISBN: 978-7-101-08513-6).

The Himalayan Art Resources team have been asked to write a series of introductory postings on Buddhist iconography for the Tricycle Magazine Blog. See below for more information and links.

"Buddhist practice and Buddhist art have been inseparable in the Himalayas ever since Buddhism arrived to the region in the eighth century. But for the casual observer it can be difficult to make sense of the complex iconography. Not to worry—Himalayan art scholar Jeff Watt is here to help. In this "Himalayan Buddhist Art 101" series, Jeff will make sense of this rich artistic tradition by presenting a weekly image from the Himalayan Art Resources archives and explaining its role in the Buddhist tradition." (Tricycle Blog).

The Topics to Date are Listed Below:

- Calm Abiding 5, April 2012

- Buddhas 12, April 2012

- Bodhisattvas 19, April, 2012

- Mandalas 26, April 2012

- Mandalas Part II 3, May 2012

- Gods & Deities in Tantric Buddhism 9, May 2012

- Meditational Deities 17, May 2012

- Wisdom Deities 24, May 2012

- Protector Deities - Mahakala & Shri Devi 7, June 2012

- Protector Deities of Tibetan Origin 14, June 2012

- Meditational Deities Part II 21, June 2012

- Meditational Deities of Tibet 28, June 2012

- Wealth Deities 5, July 2012

- Power Deities 12, July 2012

Various Indian and Tibetan teachers depicted in a three composition painting set.

The painting subject is believed to be the depictions of the important teachers in the lineage of Situ Panchen. The figures included in the composition relate to an early biography of the Tai Situpas. Five compositions with the same format are currently known to exist, but with different teachers in the composition. There are three paintings in the complete set. This determination of a three painting set is based on the Rubin Museum painting with a back inscription which reads 'left painting.' This suggests that there is a center painting and a right painting, which makes for a set of three. The Rubin Museum painting and one of the Jiang collection paintings are identical in figures and layout.

The Rubin Museum painting is different than the others. It is painted with black ink on gold silk with no ground and little use of colour. The other four paintings are on a prepared ground and painted in rich colours. The style of painting for all is that of Kham (East Tibet) and very strongly associated with Palpung Monastery comparisons. The depictions of the monastic figures and specifically the drawing of the robes also follow closely with examples of Karma Gardri sculpture of Central Tibet in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Painting Sets (four known sets, five known paintings):

- Rubin Museum (one painting)

- Hahn Foundation (one painting)

- Ashmolean Museum (one painting)

- Jiang Collection (two paintings)

Nyentog Monastery is located in the town of Rebkong in the region of Amdo, Tibet. In one small chapel at the side of the main monastery are several well preserved wall murals. These paintings are believed to have been created during the time of Ngagchang Jamyang Lodro in the late 17th century. This prominant teacher of Rebkong was a student of the 5th Dalai Lama and Trichen Lodro Gyatso. The painting style of the murals are also said to be in the mixed traditions of Menri and Khyenri. The Menri style referred to here is not the 'New' Menri Sarma of Choying Gyatso, associated with Tashi Lhunpo and the Panchen Lama, but rather the original Menri style of Manla Dondrub and the Khyenri style of Khyentse Chenmo of Gongkar Chode Monastery.

Regardless of the precise painting style names, the compositions are magnificent examples of the early, post-Sakya, Rebkong painting tradition.

Tibetan Traditional Art & Contemporary Painting by Sherab Gyaltsen of Lhasa explores traditional Tibetan themes in painting and the possibilities of expressing and relating to them in his own painting style within a contemporary art context. "When a work of art or any phenomena touches my soul, no matter whether beautiful or ugly, I believe this impression to be art. Naturally, my art is seeking to always express my internal spirit world; the wide and generous Buddhist world is my artistic resource." (Asian Art, www.asianart.com).

All of the paintings below are both early in period and depict the subjects of Shakyamuni Buddha along with [1] the Life Story, together with [2] the Sixteen Arhats and [3] the Thirty-five Confession Buddhas, or all three together. Most of the paintings have the same register type composition structure in common. The depictions of the life story also appear to be based one on the other with some vignettes almost identical in narrative and arrangement. The composition of the paintings are most likely following earlier models of already established composition for these three important subjects that specifically represent the Theravadin (Hinayana) and Mahayana Traditions of Buddhism.

(There are a number of other early examples of this subject represented in painting which are not yet up on the HAR website).

Tagten Puntsog Ling Monastery was founded by Jonang Taranata at the beginning of the 17th century. The various levels of floors inside the main temple are each decorated in different styles of Tibetan painting, Khyenri, Menri and a unique variation that could be called Jonang style. The images belong to the Sarah Richardson Photographic Archive.

The town of Gyantse is famous for the three major sites of the Fortress, Palkor Chode Monastery and the Kumbum. Built in the 15th century, all three sites are a major treasure house of Tibetan artistic culture. The images belong to the Sarah Richardson Photographic Archive.

Gonkar Chode Monastery is the birth place for one of the sub traditions of the Sakya School of Tibetan Buddhism but it is remembered more for being the place where the Khyen-ri Style of Tibetan painting originated with Khyentse Chenmo. The monastery is an approximately two hour drive West of the town of Lhasa. The images belong to the Sarah Richardson Photographic Archive.

Drolma Lhakang is one of the oldest Temples in the Lhasa area of Central Tibet, located just to the West of the town. It is most commonly associated with Jowo Atisha in the 11th century. Take special note of the large stone lions at the base of the very tall standing bodhisattva figures. The images belong to the Sarah Richardson Photographic Archive.

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.

Shalu Monastery is one of the earliest Tibetan monasteries (11th century) and one of the most important for the study of early Tibetan Art History. The monastery is located between the towns of Shigatse and Gyantse, but closer to Shigatse. The images belong to the Sarah Richardson Photographic Archive.

Images of Mindrolling Monastery have been added. The images belong to the Sarah Richardson Photographic Archive. Mindrolling, in central Tibet, was constructed in the 17th century and quickly became one of the most important Nyingma centers in all of Tibet.

Images of Nyening Monastery have been added. The images belong to the Sarah Richardson Photographic Archive. Nyening, located a short distance South of Gyantse Town, is counted as one of the very early monasteries of Tibet. It is located on an important trade route that connects the Gyantse Valley to Nepal and India in the South.

Images of Lhasa, Central Tibet, have been added. The images belong to the Sarah Richardson Photographic Archive. At this time the images are only catalogued as 'Lhasa' without having been divided into their individual Lhasa locations.

Additional images have been added to the Art Depicted in Art Paintings Page. Look carefully to find the specific art in art image in this Milarepa Life Story painting.

Images of Ngari, West Tibet are primarily architectural and show the locations of some of the more common towns, temples and cave complexes. The images belong to the Sarah Richardson Photographic Archive. At this time the images of West Tibet from various sources are not fully developed or organized on the HAR website. Cataloguing of the images is forthcoming.

Images of Lhakang Chenmo Monastery, along with architectural elements and mural paintings, have been added to the HAR site courtesy of the Sarah Richardson Photographic Archive. Lhakang Chenmo Monastery, located in Tsang, was the largest building in Tibet prior to the construction of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. It is the principal monastic seat of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and continues to this day as a thriving academic center. Sakya Town is also the hereditary home of the Khon family, the spiritual leaders of the Sakya Tradition. The monastery itself is contained within giant fortress like walls. Inside the complex stands the main temple along with many other buildings serving different functions.

Images of Samye Monastery have been added to the site courtesy of the Sarah Richardson Photographic Archive. Samye Monastery, located in central Tibet, is regarded as the first Buddhist monastery to be built in Tibet. From approximately the time of Sakya Pandita (1182-1251) the monastery has been under the administration of the Sakya Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

Diagrammatic Art is art, primarily paintings and murals, intended to convey large amounts of highly structured and codified information to the viewer. The principal topics of Diagrammatic art are:


1. Mandalas

2. Charts, Astrological

3. Charts, Medical

4. Charts, Body Mandala

5. Charts, Yantra

6. Hands & Footprints

7. Refuge Field

8. Wheel of Life

9. Cityscape

10. Offering Paintings

11. Didactic, Miscellaneous

One of the most interesting diagrammatic works in the didactic category is a painted illustration of the Bon teachings explaining Dzogchen philosophy and training.