19th Century Tibetan Thangka featuring Buddhas in various Mudras Painted on Silk ~ Board Mounted Matted and Unframed Features painted circular centerpiece with gilt detailing frame size approximately 32" high x 24" wide image size approximately 27" high x 19" wide Please Read ! This wonderful 19th century (or ealier) work is in very good + condition ~ There are light signs of agng and yet it is remarkably well preserved ~ there are no issues significant enough to mention or to diminish the charm and beauty of this marvelous piece ~ it will bring peaceful tranquility to any room or decor you choose to display it ~ please see photos for condition details ~ tracking number included with all shipments ~ All items are from a smoke free environment. We ship orders every day, and same day when possible. Your complete satisfaction is our goal! About the Thangka: Thangka, roughly translating to “recorded message” in Tibetan, is an ancient form of Buddhist art that originated within Tibet around the 11th century. Thought to serve as a teaching and meditation tool for religious scholars, thangka paintings are usually vertically oriented scrolls crafted on silk or cotton fabric. These works often depict great Buddhist teachers and deities surrounded by other important religious icons. Brightly colored using mineral and organic pigments mixed with animal glue, densely illustrative, and painstakingly detailed, the thangka serves as a striking centerpiece that can be appreciated by all admirers of Asian art. What is a Thangka? A thangka painting was traditionally a portable fabric scroll, kept unframed, and intended to be used either for personal meditation or in order to instruct other individuals in Buddhist teachings. Thangkas use a combination of depictions of deities or influential leaders, alongside symbols and very precise geometry in order to help aid the viewer on his or her path to enlightenment. Thangkas can also serve to retell a historical event involving a well-known lama, or depict a myth of a deity like a Buddha or bodhisattva. It is believed that if painted correctly and beautifully, these works could house the spirits of their deities, and so a very strict set of rules and patterns is taught and enforced. The deities must always be depicted with the exact same proportions, the color palette is restricted, and the stances of the figures are heavily curated. The monks who produce these works must spend at least six years studying the art form before the painting can be deemed acceptable to Buddhist standards.