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Panchabuddha Against A Complex Background Dominated By Red And Gold

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Name: Panchabuddha Against A Complex Background Dominated By Red And Gold
Brand: Exotic India
SKU: TC53
Price: 695.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$695

In the language of myth, and not history, the Enlightened Shakyamuni is best understood as the Panchabuddha (in Sanskrit, 'panch' stands for the numeral 5). The one Buddha as we know Him is resolved into five, like a ray of light refracting into multiple colours through a prism, each embodying an aspect of Enlightenment. These figures have evolved as devotees spent years dwelling on the qualities of Gautama Buddha, the ones flanking the central figure having arrived first in the mandala in question. The pristine figure in the centre is Vairochana. To His right are Ratnasambhava and Akshobya, while to His left are Amitabha and Amoghasiddhi, respectively.

Each of the tathagatas come with their own mandalas and iconographies. Their mudras are unique, the motifs on their respective lotus thrones differentiated and symbolic. Zooming in on each of the figures would enable the viewer to appreciate the differentiations, the only one of which that has been conspicuously highlighted and that is the colour of the skin. The blue, gold, white, red, and green are each associated with their own elements, directions, and maladaptations of the soul. The dominant red-and-gold colour scheme of this thangka makes this a highly desirable panchatathagata composition to possess.

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Item Code:	TC53
Specifications:	Tibetan Thangka Painting
Dimensions	Size of Painted Surface 39 inch X 17.5 inch Size with Brocade 51 inch X 44 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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