Tibetan Thangka with three Buddhas and many other people, circa 1700 AD. For many centuries Tibet was a spiritual and religious leader in Asia. Many countries like China, Japan, Mongolia, South-Eastern Russia, Thailand, Indonesia, etc. adopted Buddhism as a major religion. Most of men in Tibet, instead of serving in the army, - served as monks. Tibet did not need an army, because it was respected as a motherland of Buddhism and protected by the neighboring countries. On this tangka, you can see that people around three Buddhas have characteristic features of Tibetans with some relation to Chinese customs. Provenance: Central Tibet, Ngor Monastery(?), circa 1700, Painting. Mineral pigments on cotton cloth/canvas. Names (all three the same) of the sitting Buddhas are inscribed in Sanskrit, at the back of the painting cloth. Size: 35” x 27” = 89 cm x 68.5 cm Provenance: private collection in USA of American citizen, who used to live in China in 20th century Estimate: $20,000-$40,000 https://issuu.com/michaelbanyai/docs/nyr17598_salecat Central Tibet, Ngor Monastery, circa 1700 Paintings Mineral pigments on cotton cloth. From the Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, Museum Associates Purchase (M.77.19.11) South and Southeast Asian Art