Thangkas

With a history of over 1,000 years, thangkas are Tibetan-style scrolls usually painted with figures of the Buddha or the Avalokitesvara.

A brief introduction
A thangka is an exquisite scroll painting consisting of a picture panel either painted or embroidered, a textile mounted together with some ornamental and functional accessories. Thangkas show themselves in upright rectangular form with a few in horizontal oblong banners. The former one is the most common type found in monasteries and family alters, which is usually 75 centimeters (30 inches) long and 50 centimeters (20 inches) wide. However a thangka which is 55.80 meters (183 feet) high and 46.81 meters (154 feet) wide can be found in Potala Palace . Thangkas are used for conveying religious doctrines and for decorating monasteries etc.

The history and development
Thangka plays a very important role in the history and development of Tibetan paintings. According to historical materials, the origin and development of thangka painting accompanied the evolution of Buddhism in Tibet. It is said that the first thangka appeared as early as 1,000 years ago. The painting which is convenient for carrying and collecting came into shape then, and was very popular among the nomadic people. At the end of the tenth century, Buddhism experienced a thriving era again after a period of time when Buddhism was in the doldrums. Since then thangka’s have taken big strides in their development and come into a prosperous era. Painters with superb techniques have enjoyed great popularity which enabled the thangka to reach its peak during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and consequently different genres with distinctive painting styles appeared

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