Page 5 - Tibetan Thangka Painting Methodsand Mat, Jackson

Preface

Tibetan thangka painting is one of the great arts of Asia. ters, who thus became our main teachers and
It is rich not only in its iconography, religious content informants. One of these was Thargye, whom we first
and stylistic development, but also in terms of the met in Nepal in 1972. As the first thangka painter we
materials and skills that the painters and their patrons had the privilege of meeting, Thargye-Ia did much to
lavished upon it. Anyone examining even a small number encourage us at that crucial first stage by the lively'
of these fine old scroll paintings (thang ka) cannot help interest he took in answering our questions and by his
being impressed by the exquisite materials and con- animated sense of humor. Poor health and pressing
summate skill that went into their creation. Just what personal affairs kept him away from Kathmandu during
these materials were and how they were applied were our last two visits to Nepal when we were finalizing
questions that attracted our interest years ago, when as many details of this study. Thus, though he contributed
college students we first came into contact with Tibetan so much, his name does not appear below as often as it
art. But when we tried to learn more we could not get should.
very far because the subject had not then been studied Our second main teacher was Legdrup Gyatsho,
in much detail by Westerners .1 Therefore we decided to a monk and artist from Phenyul Nalendra near lhasa.
go closer to the source and to learn what we could from We met him too for the first time in 1972, when he was
the living painters of Tibet. in India, and later we studied with him in Nepal for
In the years that followed we made five journeys some months in 1973. Afterwards in 1976 we had the
to Asia, sometimes staying for a year or more. During good fortune to study with him again for several
those trips we met and learned from many thangka months. He was genuinely kind and patient - not only
painters. These artists represented most of the main with us and our interminable questions, but also with
regions of Tibet, as well as many of the border areas in the rambunctious young monks who ran to and fro
the Himalayas. While preparing this study we received along the high scaffoldings while we all worked on the
the kind assistance of some twenty artists, most of Lumbini murals.
whom are still living in various parts of India, Nepal and We are also especially grateful for the help and
America. The names of those whose knowledge helped friendship of our third main teacher, Wangdrak from
shape this book are presented below in alphabetical Shekar Dzong in Western Tsang, whom we were for-
order, in grateful acknowledgement of their help. tunate enough to meet in India in 1975. In many ways
Wangdrak is for us the quintessential Tibetan painter:
Dorje from Amdo Rekong quiet, unassuming and modest, but a living treasure-
Dorje Drakpa and his monk brother from trove of knowledge concerning the techniques, materials
Kham Lingtshang and lore of every branch of Tibetan painting.
Dorje Gyaltsen from Western Tsang During the preparation of this book we also had
Gompo from Kyirong the good fortune to study with the venerable lama
Jampa from lhasa Dezhung Trulku Rimpoche. Although he is not a
Jamyang from Amdo painter, he opened our eyes to many of the figures and
Kunzang Tobgye from Bhutan symbols appearing in thangkas, and to the religious
Legdrup Gyatsho from Phenyul Nalendra culture that is the basis of Tibetan art. Here we would
Loden from the borderlands of Amdo like to express in a small way our great gratitude to
Losang Khedrup from Mongolia him.
Pema Konchok from Kham Lingtshang Several friends from the West also assisted us
Saga from Kham Lingtshang when we were writing this book, and we take this
Thargye from Lhatse in Tsang occasion to acknowledge their help. It is no exag-
Tshedor from Kham Lingtshang geration to say that Tibetan studies are now in the
Tshoknyi Gyatsho from Kham Gakhok midst of a far-reaching revolution, the result of the
Wangchuk from Ladakh vast work of reprinting Tibetan texts that has been
Wangdrak from Shekar Dzong under way in India for the last decade and a
Wangdu from Ladakh half. Although we are now seeing just the initial results,
Wangyal from Dolpo the continuing appearance of these texts will eventually
have an impact on Western scholarship of the same
The particular circumstances of our travels enabled order as the discovery of the Tun Huang manuscripts
us to study for longer periods with three of these pain- or the exodus of the Tibetan scholars in 1959. Needless