Description
Tibetan Medical thangka – over 1000 years of documented medical practice
33 x 28cm sized medical thangka. Very good quality. Original. From Tibet
We offer an original Tibetan educational medical thangka depicting plants and animals used in Tibetan medicine.
Tibetan doctors use thangkas like this one to teach students of Traditional Tibetan medicine because herbal and medicinal books were rare and these were easier to carry.
Painted between 1980 and 1985 by monks and artists, and supervised by a world renowned Great Master, it is therefore unlike many other similar items that you will find online. This is an original piece from Tibet, not Nepal, and that makes a difference. The patina of the paint is extremely vibrant. The artists used only natural ingredients in this piece.
Thangkas that originate from Tibet are either recent (since 1980) or before 1900. Anything in between is not from Tibet. More likely Nepal, Bhutan or India.
The work is strong, with rich vibrant colours highlighting the details. The thangka is painted on cotton and linen mixed media. This would be a great addition to any serious student’s wall and is quite rare.
Craftsmen
The making of such a beautiful thangka is a rich art. It requires the master artisan monk to have knowledge and craftsmanship gleaned from more than 40 years of experience to be able to craft such a work. Using precise ancient methods, the craftsmen paint the thangka onto a unique blend of cotton and linen. They then coat it to prevent deterioration. The dyes are of natural plant and mineral origin from the Himalayan foothills or in the region.
This artistic and sacred tradition of such thangkas has been transmitted orally through the centuries.
Original thangkas of this quality have become quite rare. They are a highly valued collectable as the painstaking art is now restricted to only a few old master craftsman. There are newer schools of thangka painters which, like modern singing bowls, lack the essence that older pieces command.
All serious practitioners require at least one thangka of this quality. Older pieces like this are worth the investment and should last a lifetime.
Remember that we only have one of each of our thangkas.
Once sold, there won’t be another of this quality for sale.
Dimensions: 33 cm x 28 cm
