Wheel Of Life

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Name: Wheel Of Life
Brand: Exotic India
SKU: TE14
Price: 355.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$355

That the nature of existence is irreversible and cyclical is a basic tenet of Buddhism. The wheel of life, therefore, is a popular subject with traditional artists, as could be seen in this thangka. It depicts the wheel of life, the Buddha a part of each of the stages contained within. The wheel is clasped in the claws of the Kirtimukham, a creature of annihilation in Hindu-Buddhist myth that spares not even the self. In a powerful symbol, it is shown setting its formidable teeth and claws upon the wheel of dharma.

The composition that you see on this page is predominantly a bitone number. The deep, solid black of the backdrop has been superimposed with dense proportions of gold. The colour has been applied intricately, setting off each detail that you see in the foreground - landscapes and templetops in the panels within the circle, the miniscule Buddha figures in each, and the richly detailed edge of the circle.

While hints of blue, pink, and ochre are to be found within the wheel of life in this thangka, the shades and tints of crimson on the body of the Kirtimukham is the major infusion of colour. The palms of its hands and the soles of its feet are a bright scarlet, its wrathful face and ferocious limbs a deep carmine. Standing Bodhisattvas on the two upper corners; mythical, serpentine creatures across the bottom.

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Item Code:	TE14
Specifications:	Tibetan Buddhist Thangka Painting
Dimensions	Size of Painted Surface - 21.5 inch X 30 inch Size with Brocade - 30.5 inch X 45.5 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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