Painting Tradition: Menri Main Page (Style & Tradition)
Terminology & Classification of Traditions & Style NamesSubjects, Topics & Types:
- Description (below)
- Art History
- Iconography
- Religious Context
- Masterworks
- Confusions: New Menri, Lhasa Menri, Tashi Lhunpo Menri, Guge
- Others...
Videos:
- Menri Painting Style (15/16th century. Patreon Platform [10 minutes])
- Menri & New Menri Painting Styles
- Menri Painting Style & Tradition
- Eastern Tibet Menri Style Painting
Menri Painting Styles & Artists:
- Original Menri, Mentangpa Menlha Dondrub (15/16th century. SEE BELOW)
- Trengkawa (15th century)
- Tashi Lhunpo Menri (17/18th century, Tsang-ri, Central Tibet)
- Tashi Lhunpo Monastery Collection
- Lhasa Menri (17th to 21st century, New Menri, U-tri, Central Tibet)
- Eastern Tibet Menri (17th to 21st century).
- Eastern Tibet Chamdo Menri (17th to 21st century)
- Eastern Tibet Kham Menri (17th to 21st century).
- Mongolian Menri (17th to 21st century)
- Mixed Menri Styles
- Others...
The Menri style and tradition of Tibetan painting was founded by Mantangpa Manla Dondrub (late 15th, early 16th century). Currently there is only one known work attributed to Mantangpa by inscription. There is also an artist sketchbook attributed by inscription to his principal student named Trengkhapa Lodro Zangpo who was also a student of the 3rd Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso (1543-1588). Information on the life of Trengkhapa can be found in several biographies including that of the 3rd Dalai Lama. Trengkhapa is also renowned for formulating the most precise measurements for stupa construction which are still used today. Both Tashi Lhunpo and Yangpachen monastery have in their recorded histories that certain temples were decorated in the Menri painting style. In modern times some artists claim that there are three styles that are known as Menri, original menri, new menri, and old menri which came about later as an attempt to revive the original menri style. There are so few menri painting examples making it difficult to create a meaningful chronology of known paintings in the Menri style and later tradition.
Jeff Watt 8-2015 [updated 8-2017, 4-2018, 4-2025, 12-2025]
