Religious, Cultural, and Modern Influences on Tibetan Thangka Paintings

Abstract

This research paper explores how cultural, political, and religious contexts have shaped the tradition of Tibetan Thangka paintings. The Tibetan Thangka acts both as religious sacred objects and as an artwork. My interest in this subject began when I first saw a tangka painting in real life, and I was so curious about this art style which led me to further investigate this topic. This research paper analyzed journal articles, looked at many thangkas from different time periods in different styles, and interviewed Tibetan and non-Tibetan people about their perceptions of a few Thangka paintings with varied styles. This study found out that Tibetan thangkas have changed by a lot of influences globally and locally, including political influences of mainland China and the western cultural influences. This research highlights the importance of preserving the spiritual and the culture of the Tibetan Thangka paintings and acknowledges that some are slowly adapting to become more modern.