Beginning in the fifteenth century there was a gradual shift in Tibetan art from an Indic-centered aesthetic toward a more Chinese-centered one. This shift reflects the disappearance of Buddhism in India and Tibet’s increasingly close cultural, economic, and political ties to its northeastern Mongolian and Chinese neighbors.
In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, newly emerging Tibetan painting styles in Central Tibet were named after famous indigenous masters and artistic centers rather than adopted traditions such as Eastern Indian, Kashmiri, or Nepalese. These new styles, including the Menri, Khyenri, and Gardri, were known for their integration of Chinese-inspired landscapes and corresponding shift to increasingly green and blue palettes of malachite and azurite.
Select each work to learn more.
Ewam Choden Monastery, Tsang Province, Central Tibet
1429-1456
This painting is the thirteenth in a set of fourteen paintings depicting mandalas of the Vajravali cycle, commissioned by Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo (1382–1456), founder of Ngor Ewam Monastery (1429), in memory of his deceased teacher Sazang Phakpa Shonnu Lodro (1358–1424?). Remarkably, details of this set’s creation were recorded in monastic histories, which recount that it was made at Ngor Monastery by six itinerant Newar artists who came from the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, to paint them, including the famous artist Wangguli. It is very rare to have surviving artworks that one can match to such detailed historical accounts of their creation. Ngor Monastery became particularly famous for meticulous, intricately painted mandalas— recognizable by a rich red and blue palette highlighted in yellow—that closely followed Newar aesthetics inherited from such itinerant Nepalese master painters.
Remarkable for its near pristine condition, this painting represents the culmination of Newar artisanship in Tibet, its refinement indicated by the size and precision of the figures, the variation in the delicate vegetal scrolls filling the background, and many of the minor motifs. Although the painting was made by Newari artists, the composition strictly follows Tibetan conventions and accounts of the work’s Tibetan commission.
Learn more about Newar artists working in Tibet for Tibetan patrons.
Get the latest news and stories from the Rubin, plus occasional information on how to support our work.