CENTURY: 17th Century

The 17th century was a climactic period historically and artistically in Tibet. With the rise of the Fifth Dalai Lama in(1617 – 1682), backed by Gushri Khan of the Qoshot Mongols, power became consolidated in 1642 in the hands of the ‘Great Fifth.” the genre of the ‘black tangka,” which appears to have come to full flower by the second half of the 17th century, but [there are] examples of a principal new direction in painting, which stressed boldly powerful naturalistic figures portrayed with a masterful, tick, even line. … According to Tibetan texts, the New Menri style is characterized as “stylized realism,” stressing rich and thick colors, attention to detail, patterns of elegant brocade garments, individually painted petals and leaves, and a graceful flow in style.