Enlightened Fat Man? - Tibetan Buddhist Art

Tibetan Buddhist Art comes in many forms and uses.and Nepal.
The earliest forms of Tibetan Buddhist art were madeOne of the most common Tibetan paintings known
shortly after Buddha's death his closest followersoutside of Tibet is the thangka (scroll painting). These
began to make icons of the Buddha but many felt thatthangkas were commonly painted on cotton cloth and
there was no possible way anything man made couldrarely on silk with minerals and vegetable dyes. The
come close to the memory of his enlighteningcolors were mixed with lime and boiled gum and as a
presence so wheels (Life) and trees were usedresult the colors maintain their vibrancy hundreds of
instead (enlightenment).years later. Thangkas were traditionally hung with a
The earliest examples of Tibetan Buddhist art comepole or batten at the top and bottom. Easily rolled,
from the ninth century A.D. Many examples ofthangkas were carried from place to place by
paintings (cloth, walls and murals) and sculpture stilltraveling lamas and used to sanctify the tents where
exist today. Unfortunately the full wealth of Tibetanthey taught. Today thangkas and small bronze images
Buddhist art has been lessened since the occupationare often integral parts of a family's altar.
of Tibet by China in 1949. Many Buddhist temples andThe most common instance of figural statues of
shrines were destroyed in the early years ofBuddha is in metal, usually bronze in relatively small
occupation and as a result many icons, statues and(less than six inches high) sizes. In and around temples
other works of art have disappeared. Many Tibetanand other Buddhist areas overseas Buddha figures
wall paintings and murals still exist in Tibet and othercan be rather large (larger than life size) and are made
Tibetan cultural areas outside of Tibet like India, Bhutanout of clay, wood, metal and even stucco and stone.