Tibetan Buddhist Deity Amitabha Buddha

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$225

Amitabha’s name has a poetic meaning, Infinite Light. In many cases he is also revered as the Buddha of Immeasurable Light and Life, making him popular among believers praying for longevity. This merit of seeming permanence is believed to have come from good deeds he has done in all his past lives and as a bodhisattva (a person on the way to Buddhahood). At first look, and even while looking at this thangka, he is said to be the most similar to Buddha Shakyamuni. Amitabha has 84,000 marks, virtues, and aspects, and a few of those are depicted in this thangka.

His red skin is said to be associated with the hrih, or red seed, according to Vajrayana. In turn, the colors used in this thangka complemented and brought out the red tones of his body by accenting the other elements with warm yellow tones on the throne and the clouds. Red is also a warm color of compassion. His halo is colored with teal, red, and touches of blue. Amitabha is also decked in an opulent manner, with jewels as accessories. His ears are elongated as a sign of hearing the sound of the world as well as enlightened wisdom. Meanwhile, the flowers and the lotus also follow the colorway of his skin and clothing making the whole thangka appear to be teeming with life and vibrancy. The painting also shows Amitabha in a diamond seating position hands in meditation mudra. A quick zoom near his hands shows what looks to be a begging bowl, consistent with his iconography which shows a begging bowl as one filled with immortal nectar. His throne is of lotus petals and his crown is of a five-pointed style, signaling Amitabha as the head of the Lotus family. Pink lotus are reserved for the highest deities while the blue ones represent wisdom.

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Item Code:	TL02
Specifications:	Tibetan Thangka Painting
Dimensions	Size of Painted Surface 15.5 inch X 23.5 inch Size with Brocade 26.5 inch X 48 inch

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Unveiling the Divine Art: Journey into the Making of Thangkas

A Thangka is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting that usually depicts a Buddhist Deity (Buddha or Bodhisattva), a scene, or a mandala. These paintings are considered important paraphernalia in Buddhist rituals. They are used to teach the life of the Buddha, various lamas, and Bodhisattvas to the monastic students, and are also useful in visualizing the deity while meditating. One of the most important subjects of thangkas is the Bhavacakra (the wheel of life) which depicts the Art of Enlightenment. It is believed that Thangka paintings were developed over the centuries from the murals, of which only a few can be seen in the Ajanta caves in India and the Mogao caves in Gansu Province, Tibet. Thangkas are painted on cotton or silk applique and are usually small in size. The artist of these paintings is highly trained and has a proper understanding of Buddhist philosophy, knowledge, and background to create a realistic and bona fide painting.

The process of making a thangka begins with stitching a loosely woven cotton fabric onto a wooden frame. Traditionally, the canvas was prepared by coating it with gesso, chalk, and base pigment.

After this, the outline of the form of the deity is sketched with a pencil or charcoal onto the canvas using iconographic grids. The drawing process is followed in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scriptures. The systematic grid helps the artist to make a geometrical and professional painting. When the drawing of the figures is finalized and adjusted, it is then outlined with black ink.

Earlier, a special paint of different colors was made by mixing powdered forms of organic (vegetable) and mineral pigments in a water-soluble adhesive. Nowadays, artists use acrylic paints instead. The colors are now applied to the sketch using the wet and dry brush techniques. One of the characteristic features of a thangka is the use of vibrant colors such as red, blue, black, green, yellow, etc.

In the final step, pure gold is coated over some parts of the thangka to increase its beauty. Due to this beautification, thangkas are much more expensive and also stand out from other ordinary paintings.

Thangka paintings are generally kept unrolled when not on display on the wall. They also come with a frame, a silken cover in front, and a textile backing to protect the painting from getting damaged. Because Thangkas are delicate in nature, they are recommended to be kept in places with no excess moisture and where there is not much exposure to sunlight. This makes them last a long time without their colors fading away. Painting a thangka is an elaborate and complex process and requires excellent skills. A skilled artist can take up to 6 months to complete a detailed thangka painting. In earlier times, thangka painters were lamas that spent many years on Buddhist studies before they painted.

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