| Transcript |
- much of Tibet�s arts and crafts. In later times, Chinese art styles and motifs also played a pivotal role in moulding Tibetan art. It should be pointed out that Tibet�s difficult geography kept regions isolated so that the various foreign art influences were absorbed differently, and therefore, there was a parallel development of numerous clearly defined regional or provincial styles throughout the country. As a result, Tibetan art has a mixed, wide-reaching character of its own and cannot be compared to any single source. Furthermore, Tibetan art wasn�t simply a passive recipient of the various foreign art trends; it, in turn, exerted influence on foreign art.
Tibetan art, which displays a rare blend of some aspects from the Bon religion, and provincial and foreign influences, extended into all regions inhabited by Tibetans and Mongolians. Areas surrounding Tibet proper whose art has been affected in part or profoundly by the meaningful and rich symbolism of Tibetan art include: China�s provinces�Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu and Sichuan, which have areas that were once part of Tibet; Mongolia; Ladakh in northern India; and the Himalayan countries of Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan. A few examples from surround�ing countries whose art has been influenced by Tibetan art have also been included in this exhibition as well as some artifacts made in other countries destined for the Tibetan market.
In short, while foreign influences laid a powerful foundation for art in Tibet, Tibetan art went beyond mere imitation. The uniqueness of Tibetan Buddhist art rests on the fact that, throughout its history, Tibet has continually taken, adapted and transformed diverse cultural and artistic influences, which have flowed into Tibet from India, Nepal, China and other cultures, into a distinct national style of its own.
The Iconography of Tibetan Buddhist Art
The iconography of Tibetan Buddhist art is immensely vast and extremely complex, which makes it difficult to identify the great host of deities that crowd the teeming pantheon of Tibetan Buddhism. Furthermore, this great assemblage of divinities with their various emanations largely defies any attempt at classification. Many of the figures hold their arms and hands in symbolic attitudes (mudras) or hold various ritual objects. The multiplicity of gestures, which are usually known only to higher initiates, help to identify the deities or help to evoke a certain episode of the Buddhist legend. The various divinities also have their own special colours, different orna�ments and costumes, the sitting or standing pose, and different thrones upon which they are seated. The imagery can be either quite pleasant or show a wrathful aspect of the divinity, but concealed beneath it all are profound philosophical and religious concepts.
It is not possible to list the seemingly infinite number of subjects in Tibetan iconography, so only the more common images will be discussed in this short study.
Amongst the most popular images depicted in their art are the enlightened beings, which include buddhas, bodhisattvas and gurus. These depictions are usually calming, pleasant, sympathetic and show the embodiment of wisdom and compassion. Of the various types of buddhas (enlightened ones), the most com-
22
|
|---|
