For the first time in history, the famous Blue Beryll – a set of 79 medical paintings completed 300 years ago in Tibet – has been recreated, brought to the West, and will be on exhibit TIME-TIME July 23rd at Tibet House, 22 West 15th Street. Experts in the field will be speaking during the TIME-TIME reception.
The original paintings, or thangkas, were commissioned by Tibetan regent Sangye Ghamtso (1645-1705), who founded Tibet’s first medical college and codified the country’s medical practices. The extensively annotated paintings illustrate physical symptoms, disease, treatment, and medicinal herbs and plants. For centuries past and present, copies of these paintings have been a respected educational tool for Tibetan physicians.
Only one complete original set of the Blue Beryll exists, in Lhasa, Tibet. To paint a thangka, the artist must be an expert in the measurements and proportions of Buddhas, Boddhisattvas and deities as outlined in Buddhist iconography. Using only traditional pigments, such as finely ground lapis lazuli and other semi-precious stones, a team of Tibetan artists and physicians recently labored for two years in Tibet to recreate the paintings with absolute accuracy and precision.
According to Columbia University professor Robert Thurman, PhD., one of the world’s leading experts on Tibetan Buddhism, the recreations are “stunningly flawless” in their execution, design and painstaking calligraphy. The re-creation was undertaken by the International Tibetan Medical Association (ITMA) and financed by ITMA member donations plus a gift from an anonymous donor. All proceeds from the $20 exhibition fee will be used to finance an ITMA conference in Kathmandu, Nepal in September.
The International Tibetan Medical Association, a New York area based apolitical nonprofit organization, works to strengthen and advance tradition Tibetan healing practices through advocacy and education. Founded in 1999 by Dr. Tashi Rabten, ITMA focuses on mutual exchange and dialogue by creating linkages between medical communities in the West and those inside Tibet. Over 100 doctors are members worldwide.
For further information, contact:
International Tibetan Medical Association
P.O. Box 701 ยท Valley Cottage, NY 10960
P: 845-362-5222
P: 845-612-3231
info@tibetanmedical.com
