Tibetan artists sometimes use a technique similar to that of wax painting; some remarkable examples of this method are to be seen in R. Pfister's collection. It is a highly successful attempt to find relief from the monotony of the flat tones of tempera painting; the faces stand out remarkably clearly, and the floral decorations show great originality in the choice of colours. The painting is unfortunately damaged by the imprints of the hands and feet of the Grand Lama of Bra-gis lhun-po (Tachilhunpo). The paint ing represented in Plate II., fig. 3, shows the fifth Dalai-Lama Ngag-dbang Blo-bzang-rgya-mcho (1617-8o) ; special note should be taken of the delicacy of the floral decoration.
The Tibetans also have a special fondness for paintings repre senting particularly venerated places. One of these pictures shows, in a sort of rough perspective, the principal religious edifices of Lhasa; in the centre the Potala, in the lower part the great temple ( Jo Khang),in the upper part the monasteries of Sera and Depong, which are two miles away from Lhasa, and a number of small shrines treated in the minutest detail.
Before leaving the subject of Tibetan painting, it is fitting to mention the paintings which appear in the temples of the Bon-po, the followers of the pre-Buddhic religion of Tibet. The rare specimens of Bon-po painting which we have had an opportunity of studying are, as far as the legends repre sented are concerned, nothing more than imitations of Lamaist paintings. The trained eye can, however, clearly distinguish be tween Bon-po and Buddhist paintings. Bon-po paintings scarcely ever contain a large-scale figure of the hero of the legend the epi sodes of which are represented by the picture. Thus the paintings illustrating the legend of the Bon-po prophet Ggen-rab-mi-bo (O1 lone collection) consist only of a series of miniature scenes.
According to legend, the most ancient Buddhic sculpture which was imported into Tibet came from Magadha, but it is said to have reached Tibet through China, having been brought by the princess of Wen-tcheng, who was re lated to the Emperor Tang Tai-tsong and married the 1st Buddhist king of Tibet, Srong bcan sgam-po (7th century A.D.). This statue still exists in the Jo-Khang of Lhasa, and forms, together with another statue of the monastery of Kum-bum and the famous image of the Santal temple at Peking, one of a triad celebrated in the Buddhist world. The Lhasa statue is probably of the same type as that which is preserved in the temple of Seiryo in Japan. A distinguishing feature of that work of art is the characteristic drapery with its close folds. A statuette in the Musee Guimet, though a comparatively modern work (18th century) (Pl. I., fig. 6) recalls these ancient originals. Most of the Tibetan statues to be seen in Europe are modern, but it is possible to trace back their origin, through a number of modifications, to Indian sculptures exe cuted at the time of the Pala kings of Bengal (11th to 12th cen turies A.D.). The traces of Chinese influence which may here and there be noted are to b3 attributed to the Tang or even the Sung period. These statuettes, most of which are cast by the process known as a cire perdue, represent only a portion of the whole pro duction of the skilled Tibetan metal-workers. There are also a number of bronze statues Io or 12 metres high representing the Bodhisat Avalokitegvara with II heads. Occasional examples are
found which have no counterpart in the Buddhic world, such as the Bodhisat who is shown making a mystic gesture which is nowhere else represented. (Pl. I., fig. 8.) Of three representations of the same divinity, one may show Chinese and one Indian influence, while the third is purely Tibetan. This applies to three representa tions of Manjugri which are preserved in the Musee Guimet; the first figure, which is brandishing a sword, is in the classical Indian style, the second, which is loaded with ornaments and is heavy of aspect, is Tibetan, while the third is a young Chinese prince, carelessly seated in an attitude of royal ease, his hand resting on a book. The statuettes of saints are in some cases actual portraits (Pl. I., fig. 3).
The finest examples of Tibetan craftsman ship are the bronzes and brasses, but there are also some fine statues carved in wood. The wood-carvers, however, excel most of all in the execution of low reliefs adorning the rectangular pieces of wood which are used to cover the sacred books. These reliefs show extraordinary technical skill.
Very few Bon-po sculptures have as yet been studied. They are very bad specimens, and are influenced by late Chinese statuary.
Some of the Tibetan metal workers are magnificent artists. Some of the designs of iron work are as delicate as lace ; dragons, volutes and geomet rical patterns are mingled in detailed and balanced designs orna menting saddles, pen-cases, quivers and clasps for reliquaries (cen tral motif : dagakaro vag1). Some of the reliquaries are carried out in beautiful repousse work in silver and sometimes, also in gold. Beautiful brass vases and censers are also executed in repousse work. The designs on these vases are sometimes Indian and sometimes Chinese in character. Damascene work is very much used for the decoration of pen-cases. Tibetan jewellery, heavily set with turquoises, includes earrings, necklaces and brace lets. (See SILVERSMITHS' AND GOLDSMITHS' WORK.) Architecture.—The available information concerning Tibetan architecture is very incomplete. No complete studies of monas teries with plans have been made except in the case of Kum-bum.
Stftpas of the Tibetan type have a characteristic form of their own ; the base is raised to such a height that it sometimes shelters a little shrine, the bulb-shaped dome is sometimes very small, and the discs of the parasols, which are very close together, form a cone surmounted by the crescent and the disc. The base and the disc are of masonry, and the upper part of gilded copper. The temples (cf. . plan of Jo Khang in Waddell's Lhasa and its Mys teries) are frequently built on a rectangular ground plan with a sort of ambulatory between the outside wall and the chapels open ing on the main temple. The main temple altar is at the end opposite to the entrance, and the principal temple is roofed with Chinese pavilions. The monotony of the massive structure of the palaces and castles is relieved by plaster-work of violent col ours such as deep vermilion ; large tapestries representing religious subjects are hung out on solemn occasions. (See also INDIAN ARCHITECTURE.)