Art History: Five Styles of Iconographic Subjects
Art History | Painting: Subject PageFive Styles of Iconographic Subjects:
- Figures & Narratives
- Peaceful Deities
- Wrathful Deities
- Mandalas
- Black Ground
Video: Five Styles of Iconographic Subjects
A painting style is often discussed in a general manner with the origins arising from a single artist, atelier or a specific region. With any identifiable style it must be supported by art examples. With any established and influential style of painting then it also has to be recognized and discussed with reference to the four prominent Buddhist iconographic subjects. What are the subjects? They are figures & narratives, peaceful deities, wrathful deities, mandalas and black ground. All of the major Tibetan styles and traditions have these five subjects, but not all of the lesser styles and traditions have the five subjects because of a lack or examples or artistic development.
The five iconographic subjects are important because they don't all share the same stylistic characteristics. So, what does that mean? Does it mean that the five have different styles right from the beginning? In a way, yes, that is what it means. Figures of teachers are drawn in a manner that is different from peaceful and wrathful deities. The backgrounds, landscape and colour combinations are different between the five subjects. Mandalas have their own unique compositional style.
Jeff Watt 8-2020 [updated 7-2024, 2-2025]
(The images below are only a selection of examples from the links above).
