Cloisonne Thangka Collection
If you are interested to purchase any Thangkas in our collection, please contact us for price and details.
To me, the process of painting Cloisonné Filigree Thangka is like meditation. Once I immerse myself in the world of Thangka, I lose track of time. My mind becomes extremely focused and serene. Throughout the creative process, my thoughts are upon living beings of the world. I wish to dedicate everything I do for the benefit of these living beings. Painting Thangka is my spiritual cultivation: I wish to dedicate all the merit and virtue to the whole world, so that sentient beings can leave suffering and attain bliss.
Tsultrim Norbu
About Cloisonne
Cloisonné, a French word meaning "enclosed", is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects with coloured material held in place or separated by metal strips or wire, normally of gold. The technique was mostly used for jewellery and similar small objects in the ancient Near East. It was spread to China in the 14th century (Yuan Dynasty), where it was used for larger vessels such as bowls and vases. Cloisonné technique is common in China to the present day. It has been listed as China’s national intangible cultural heritage since 2006.
Traditionally, cloisonné decoration is formed by first adding compartments or cells to the metal object. It is done by soldering or sticking silver or gold wires, or thin strips placed on edge, which are visible in the finished piece, separating the different compartments. Cloisonné enamel objects are worked on with coloured enamel powder made into a paste and filled in the cells, which then is fired in a kiln.
About Tibetan Thangka
The thangka, a Tibetan painting using ground mineral pigment on cotton or silk, functions as one of the principle meditational tools in Buddhist practice.
A thangka usually depicts a central Buddhist deity or teacher surrounded by associated gods and lineage figures, describes events or myths attributed to important religious teachers, or outlines the blueprint of a particular deity’s realm as a mandala. The viewer accrues merit and makes spiritual progress by meditating on the iconographic imagery associated with the particular Buddhist teaching.
Modern Cloisonne Thangka
The modern simplified cloisonné technique in China creates designs on flat surfaces with enamel placed within enclosures made of golden or silver coated copper or aluminium wires, which have been bent and glued into the desired pattern. The coloured enamel powder is then mixed with dissolvable glue, and painted into the contained areas of the design.
Tsultrim Norbu's Unique Cloisonne Thangka
Unlike other thangka artists, Tsultrim Norbu creates his unique thangka style combining the Han Chinese cloisonne technique and traditional Tibetan thangka art. It involves four major steps in the process: first, sketch on the aluminium plate; second, glue the golden coated aluminium wires according to the sketch; third, apply coloured enamel paste; and finally, paint with traditional thangka colours using an ink brush. The finished works of gold wires, glimmer enamel and natural pigment ink give each piece a strikingly vivid and resplendent appearance and aura.
Commission a Thangka
Cloisonne Filigree Thangkas are commissioned upon request. They are meticulously created by Master Tsultrim Norbu. Due to the time it takes to create a thangka, the uniqueness of the materials used, and the mastery of the skills involved in each painting, thangkas are intrinsically valuable artistic creations. If you are interested in commissioning a unique thangka from our atelier, feel free to contact us and discuss possibile options.
My wish is that one day, from our hard work of transmitting our lineage from one generation to the next, Cloisonne Filigree Thangka will become an integral part of Tibetan culture. We see that the interactivity between the Tibetans and Chinese Han people over successive generations, preserves the quintessence of each culture in a reciprocal way, they mutually enhance and bring out the best in each other. And may the inspiration and abundant blessings preserved from this endeavor flourish and abide for all time.
Tsultrim Norbu
TESTIMONIALS
Kathy Leo - Hong Kong
His filigree paintings are regal and resplendent. Shimmering in a sea of gold, silver and jeweled colors, his thangkas are illumined with a rare opulent beauty, yet they never drop down to the level of superficial flamboyance. The thangkas are lit from within by a noble luminescence.
Every aspect of the procedure is executed with finesse, sparing no detail. One couldn't be off even by a tad. It’s a back-breaking process. Even a medium-sized Thangka can take a few months, sometimes a few years to complete. And throughout the process, the artist remains focused and absorbed. With each stroke he regulates his breath so that every inhale and exhale is a strategic maneuver towards birthing his art into completion.