Tibetan Thanka Paintings
Tibet, with its isolated, harsh geographical location and history of political and social remoteness would seem an unlikely place to provide a “cradle for creative art” (Bailey 22). Yet it is in this desolate section of the world that one of the most intriguing artistic cultures has been cultivating over hundreds of centuries. One facet of what makes Tibetan art so unique and interesting is its interdependency on its religious beliefs.
In Tibet one might use the words “religion” and “culture” almost as synonyms, especially for the arts—literature, drama, painting, and sculpture. Not only were they inspired by religion, but religion was their very raison d’être (Pal 18).
Tibetan thanka[1] paintings are a wonderful example of the interconnectedness of religion and art. These images are “not meant to be the object of simple idolatry” (Jackson 11), but rather take on a more interactive role, which can be applied to nearly every facet of traditional Tibetan life. Tibetan Buddhism pervades all aspects of the creation and use of thanka paintings—in the training and requirements of the artists who create the paintings, in the physical creative process itself, in the iconography used, and in all the painting’s multiple functions. Tibetan thanka paintings, throughout their entire lifespan—from concept to consecrated image—help devotional religious activity for Tibetan Buddhism[2].
Thanka Artists
Types of Artists
Tibetan thanka artists, of which there were two types, monks and professionals, work within the confines of religious tradition. Trained professionals made up the majority of thanka artists, all of whom studied for years under strict instruction. Lamas were also involved in the creation of many paintings, mainly in a supervisory capacity (Pal 25). The chief centers of Tibetan art were the monasteries that often supplied artists with work (Pal 24). Usually, professional artists either had their own studios or were attached to individual monasteries for the duration of specific jobs.
Being an artist was not automatically hereditary and any talented adolescent boy could join a studio as an apprentice. The training period each child underwent was usually extensive and demanding:
The apprentice was expected to study drawing for about sixteen months, simple coloring for ten months, and mixed coloring for at least a year. Only then was he allowed to paint under his teacher’s strict vigilance. This he did for many years before he was qualified to set up his own workshop (Pal 25).
Heidler, David Stephen, and Jeanne T. Heidler, eds. Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: a
The statue that will be the focus of this paper portrays the figure “Amida, the Buddha of Infinite Light.” Like many other statues of the Buddha, this Amida Buddha was portrayed to be deep in meditation, sitting cross-legged. A viewer could observe that the Amida Buddha is making a hand gesture while in deep meditation. These gestures, also known as “mudras,” are symbolic in the Buddhist religion, and they are used to convey certain ideas (O’Riley 70). In this case, the Amida Buddha is making the mudra of appeasement (“Amida”). More physical observations could be made by pointing out the “balanced form, divine features, and flowing drapery” (“Amida”) of the Amida Buddha. Those qualities represent the nature of the Buddha, revealing him as “transcendent, graceful, and compassionate” (“Amida”). Features common to other Buddha sculptures show up on this Amida Buddha, like the elongated earlobes, the mole on his forehead, and patterned hair. At first glance, the Am...
Shaw, William B., et al. A Photographic History of the Civil War. Six Volumes. New York, New York: The Blue and Grey Press, 1987.
Yu, Han. “Memorial on Buddhism”. Making of the Modern World 12: Classical & Medieval Tradition. Trans. Richard F. Burton. Ed. Janet Smarr. La Jolla: University Readers, 2012. 111-112. Print.
Book Title: The American Civil War: A Handbook of Literature and Research. Contributors: Robin Higham - editor, Steven E. Woodworth - editor. Publisher: Greenwood Press. Place of Publication: Westport, CT. Publication Year: 1996
Armstrong, Jennifer, and Mathew B. Brady. Photo by Brady: A Picture of the Civil War. New
Gallagher, Gary W. 2008. Causes won, lost, and forgotten: how Hollywood & popular art shape what we know about the Civil War. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.
After Mexico declared its independence from Spain, tensions between the United States and Mexico arose. Before the people of Mexico declared their independence, the treaty between the leaders of the US and Spain in 1819, Adams-Onis Treaty, had established that the border of Mexico lied along the Sabine River. In 1821, the US and Mexican governments signed a treaty stating that both governments will strive to maintain the peace and harmony among the Native Americans that live along the border between the two countries. However, due to the unique geography of the Sabine River the US and Mexico had different interpretations of where the border actually lied. This led to US leaders claiming the city of Nacogdoches as their own, while the Mexican government believed that it was within their territory. When the US President sent General Gaines to occupy Nacogdoches, it led to the anti-American sentiment that would fuel the Mexican-American War. There are many causes of the Mexican-American War but a major cause was the US government redefining terms of a treaty for their own benefit. Throughout history US leaders redefined the terms of treaties with other countries and people, such as the Treaty of Alliance with France and the Treaty of Fort Laramie, for the benefit of expanding United States territory.
Heller, A. (2007). Discoveries in western Tibet and the western Himalayas essays on history, literature, archaeology and art : PIATS 2003, Tibetan studies, proceedings of the Tenth Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies, Oxford, 2003. Leiden: Brill.
The America Civil War took place in the United States from 1861 to 1865 after seven Southern slave states announced their secession from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America. The Civil War is considered the bloodiest war in American history, responsible for the death of over 620,000 soldier deaths (Civil War Preservation Trust, 2013). One thing that differentiates the Civil War with all of the other major conflicts that came before it is the use of photography throughout the war. The advance of photography during the time of the war forever changed the way the public perceived war and the military. Although the Mexican-American War was actually the first photographed war, there were very few photos taken and most of them never reached the public (Covkin, 2012). In contrast, the Civil War was the first major conflict to be extensively photographed. Prior to the Civil War, there had only been a combined 5,000 photographs ever taken in the United States. However, the four years of the Civil War resulted in over 1 million photographs being taken. This was also the first time that photographs of the actual battlefield were taken, and technological advances in photography allowed for these images to be widely distributed and sold nationwide as they circulated in magazines, newspapers and galleries. For the first time in history, citizens on the home front could view the actual carnage and destruction of far away battlefields.
The Civil War was the first major conflict to be documented by photography. At the time of the Civil War, it was vital to have public support on both the North and the South side of the dispute. It is also said that if war efforts do not have complete support of its’ citizens that it will not result to any benefits. Photography was one way that was almost guaranteeing support of citizens on the homefront. Photographers had power within their photographs, toying with the pathos of the civilians, and causing them to feel whatever the photographers wanted them to. This power was abused at time by manipulating people’s opinions towards the war. There were pictures coming back from the warfront one after the other which made it impossible for people to feel an emotional connection to the soldiers at war. These photographs allowed events happening miles away to feel like they were closer to home causing people to support the war efforts more heavily. Instead of people having their own opinions during the war, photographers used manipulative
When studying Buddhism in modern society, one cannot deny the importance of the Dalai Lama. For centuries, the incarnations of the Dalai Lama ruled over the people of Tibet both spiritually and politically. However it wasn’t until the last century that the popularity of the Dalai Lama made its way to western society. This essay will focus on the 14th and most recent Dalai Lama of Tibet.
With the scheduling of their parents, they have no opportunity to let their minds wander without guidelines. Moreover, the structure put in place has taken away the opportunity for children to develop their own interests outside of what others tell them. Furthermore, they are given countless opportunities to develop their knowledge without room for creativity, and hence become a shallow adult. She argues that creativity leads to the great artists, authors, and composers. Consequently, Quindlen’s argument is that scheduling has stunted children’s creative
“In Tantric Buddhism, we are dealing with a misogynist, destructive, masculine philosophy and religion which is hostile to life – i.e. the precise opposite of that for which it is trustingly and magnanimously welcomed in the figure of the Dalai Lama.”[1] Within Tibetan Buddhism, there is an inherent contradiction regarding the status of women. Although in many aspects women are seen and treated as inferior to men, several of the ancient and fundamental values of Tibetan Buddhism, and more specifically Tantric Buddhism, emphasize equality of the sexes, universal compassion, and most importantly the significant and essential role of the woman. Tibetan Buddhist nuns have been trying to correct this contradiction for years to remove the inferior and degrading stereotype that defines them and to be seen as equal to men. Beginning with the emergence of Tibetan Buddhism from India until today, the status of women, both physically and symbolically has declined due to the patriarchal system adopted by Tibet. “The mystery of Tantric Buddhism consists in the sacrifice of the feminine principle and the manipulation of erotic love in order to attain universal androcentric power.”[2] In their patriarchal society, the symbol of the woman is used by men now as an instrument; manipulated by men in order to acquire control and power.
In conclusion, the American civil war, photographed by more than 3000 individual photographers, had a huge impact on photography, while for the most part photography played a major role throughout the course of the war. Although civil war was recorded on numerous amount of books, Photographs taken during that time frame still seems have the power of influence and most people choose to believe in photographs, since they tell a story of reality. Doesn’t matter how gruesome or unpleasant most of them look, photographs from civil tend to leave a lasting impression even on people living in the present.