Page 57 - Tibetan Thangka Painting Methodsand Mat, Jackson

upper arm 12 4 cubits in arm span (= 8 spans, 96 sor).18 The actual
forearm 12 practice of many artists, however, was to portray
hand 12 humans as being a full 4 cubits in height, and this was
48 the tradition of Legdrup Gyatsho as recorded in
Gateway to the Temple)9
full arm span: 96 sor
cranium above hairline 4
5) Short Wrathful Figures face 12
This class actually consists of two slightly different neck 4 (or 2)
sub-classes. The first of these sub-classes can have a chest 12
height of either 5 or 6 spans, depending on whether one stomach 12
includes or excludes such areas as the lower abdomen lower abdomen 12
and hair. The first sub-class is composed of short thighs 18
protectors such as Pancaranatha (Gur-gyi-mgon-po). knees 3
calves 18
Vertical measures: feet 3
hair 12
face 12 98 sor
neck 4 (or 96 if the neck measures 2sor)
chest 12
stomach 12 The proportions given by Zhu-chen in this case specify
thighs 8 a neck length of only 2 sor, and do not mention the
calves 8 alternate possibility of 4 sor.
feet 4 It is interesting to note that in at least one other
artistic tradition humans were portrayed according to
72 sor
their canonical description, Le. with bodies having a
An alternative measure is given for figures such as height of 3~ cubits (7 spans, 84 sor) and an arm span
Gal!apati (tshogs bdag) (although in Zhu-chen Tshul- of 4 cubits. The following proportions are given by
khrims-rin-chen's account the following proportions also Mi-pham-rgya-mtsho: 20
hold good for Pancaranatha and the like):16 Vertical measures:

cranium above hairline 3 face 12
face 12 neck 3
neck 3 torso 27
chest 12 hip 4
upper abdomen 12 thighs 15
thighs 12 knees 4
knees 3 calves 15
,calves 12 feet 4
feet 3
84 sor
72 sor
In the above proportions no separate measure is Horizontal measures (half of the arm span):
given for the lower abdomen, which occupies the same chest 10
segment of the vertical axis as the thighs. The arm span
upper arm 14
of this fifth class is given by Zhu-chen as follows (here
fore.arm 12
for only one side of the body))"7
hand 12
chest 12 48
upper arm 6
full arm span: 96 sor
forearm 12
hand 12
Thus there was a certain diversity of proportions
42 within this class. In addition Pratyekabuddhas were said
full arm span: 84 sor to require slightly more than the normal human height
because of their small u~l!l~a (head protuberance).21
Sravakas too were sometimes given different propor-
6) Humans tions. Zhu-chen Tshul-khrims-rin-chen mentioned that
This class is made up of Sravakas (the early human such figures are found in some authoritative paintings
disciples of the Buddha Sakyamuni and the followers of to have the proportions of peaceful bodhisattvas, i.e. a
the Sravakayana), Pratyekabuddhas, and ordinary height of 10 spans or 120 sor. He also said that some
human beings. A tantric commentary proclaims that texts on iconometry state that this practice is
ordinary humans should measure 3~ cubits in height and permissible,2 2

THE MAIN PROPORTIONAL CLASSES 53