Kham Province, Eastern Tibet
19th century
Kham Province, Eastern Tibet
19th century
This is an excellent example of the New Encampment painting style, especially the layering of blue and green pigment in dots with the tip of a dry brush. This technique builds up the landscape, from blank canvas to deep color, giving the painting an intense, bright, crystalline quality for which the style became famous. The figures are quite small and they sit in an open landscape. Each scene is depicted in precise detail, with every leaf and brick delineated. This is a clever visual strategy to draw the eye into each vignette.
The transmission of teachings from one generation to the next, from teacher to student, traced all the way back to the Buddha without interruption. A complete lineage is essential in Tantric Buddhist practices as it makes the blessings of the teaching more powerful.
A religious movement that originated in India around the fifth to seventh century with sacred writings and esoteric teachings and practices transmitted from teacher to student through initiation. These remain an important part of Hinduism and Buddhism today.
Teachings and precepts that offer practical and experiential guidance. In Buddhism instruction is primarily an oral tradition and is often targeted to the specific needs or disposition of a student or disciple.
Himalayan art includes portraits of legendary and historical humans, including accomplished religious teachers (lamas), the Buddha’s original disciples (arhats), and spiritually accomplished tantric masters (mahasiddhas).
Today, Tibetans primarily inhabit the Tibetan Plateau, situated between the Himalayan mountain range and the Indian subcontinent to the west, Chinese cultural regions to the east, and Mongolian cultural regions to the northeast. During the 7th to 9th century, Tibetan rulers expanded their empire across Central Asia, and established Buddhism as the state religion.
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