Mirror of the Buddha : early portraits from Tibet : from the Masterworks of Tibetan painting series /  David P. Jackson with contributions by Christian Luczanits.

Published in conjunction with an exhibition held at the Rubin Museum of Art, New York, Oct. 7, 2011-Feb. 27, 2012.

"...from the Masterworks of Tibetan painting series"--title page. 

Includes bibliographical references (pages 204-223) and index.

Introduction -- Human types in Tibetan iconography: essential distinctions -- Paintings of early teachers of Tibetan Buddhist schools -- Early Taklung Kagyü paintings and their lineage conventions -- Reflections of enlightenment in three early portraits -- Siddha, hierarchs, and lineages: three examples for dating Tibetan art / Christian Luczanits.

"Traditional Tibetan art is largely the fruit of Buddhism; it is meant to convey spiritual truths. In their art, Tibetans aimed at faithfully transmitting and preserving Buddhism as a spiritual discipline as they had learned it from their Indian Buddhist teachers, either directly or through a transmission that included early Tibetan teachers. Each thangka painting was a small contribution to the larger cause of keeping Buddhism alive and radiant. In this third volume on Tibetan Painting David Jackson, with Christian Luczanits, investigates painted portraits of such early Tibetan teachers. Images of these eminent personages embodied Buddhist ideals in often idealized human form. In creating these depictions, Tibetan painters of the twelfth through fourteenth century intensely imitated the artistic conventions developed in Pala- and Sena-ruled eastern India (Bengal). This style, called Sharri, spread from India to many parts of Asia, but its classic Indian forms, delicate colors, and intricate decorative details were emulated most faithfully by the Tibetans."--Publisher's website.