“Within the country [of Bhutan], Pema remains the most prominent artist of our times. His books have become the de facto curriculum for the traditional art schools in the country and his iconographic dimensions, the standard.”
Concise Tibetan Art Book
Published in 1987 by Pema Namdol Thaye when he was just twenty years old, the artist envisioned Concise Tibetan Art Book as a means of preserving the extraordinary art form of Tibetan iconography.
Concise Tibetan Art Book is the first publication of traditional celestial measurements in the Nyingma tradition ever to be produced in printed format. Based on the great Mipham Rinpoche's compilation of line measurements (tigse) from the 19th century (derived from ancient Buddhist texts: both Sutras and Tantras), Pema Namdol shares a wealth of knowledge passed on to him by his artistic and spiritual mentor, the Ven. Lama Gonpo Tenzing Rinpoche.
Written in Tibetan with an English translation, this 276 page hardcover book includes a forward by His Holiness Mindrolling Trichen Rinpoche (previous lineage holder of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism), and an introduction by Pema Namdol on the origin of Buddhist art and the history of Tibetan and Bhutanese art.
The main text outlines the Five Great Line Measurements (foundational celestial measurements) which comprise figure proportions of buddhas, bodhisattvas, deities, protectors and humans - complete with details such as colors, postures, ornaments, and instruments - as well as celestial measurements for stupas and mandalas. Black and white images include over one hundred hand drawn instructional line drawings by Pema Namdol, including three large foldout pages. Concise Tibetan Art Book has been acquired by museums, libraries and universities across the globe as a foundational text on Tibetan iconography.