Historical information

Woodblock printing in Tibet began to flourish from the 10th century onwards, driven by the high demand for Buddhist scriptures and images. Monasteries saw woodblock printing as a means to preserve and propagate authentic Buddhist teachings. The durability of woodblocks made them ideal for creating lasting impressions of sacred texts, enabling mass production and wide dissemination.

Physical description

This woodblock print on hand-made paper depicts Gesar, a legendary Tibetan warrior king who is invoked as a protector of the Buddha's teachings and emanation of Padmasambhava. Gesar's image is surrounded by four magical animals - garuda (top left), makara (top right), tiger (bottom left) and snow lion (bottom right). The print is framed using acrylic sheets.