Nationality
Tibetan
Preview
Date of Work
mid-19th century
Medium
Painting on Silk
Identification #
92-169
Collection/Provenance
Chester Fritz Library Collection
Status
Displayed
Location
University House
Additional Information
(detail photo pictured)
The Tanka is a form of Buddhist religious art that is closely associated with Tibet. Tankas can serve an educational purpose, depicting stories about the Buddha, bodhisattvas, lamas, or other important figures. They can also act as a devotional aid, serving as a focus for prayer and meditation.
This example was donated to the UND by Chester Fritz, a North Dakota native who worked as American Metal Corporation’s primary agent in China. He travelled widely in Asia during the first half of the twentieth century, acquiring artworks and other historical objects that would become the basis for an important collection of Asian art now housed at the UND’s main library, which is named in his honor.