TIBET, 17TH CENTURY

The Buddha's life story begins at the top right and proceeds in a clockwise manner around the composition to finish at the top left side. The scenes are arranged in registers that are separated by horizontal red bars containing one long line of Tibetan text. This text is divided into a single sentence or a brief phrase that contextualizes the story located immediately above the inscription. The noteworthy life events are depicted as blocks of continuous narrative with repeated figures and iconic elements.
A donor figure wearing monastic robes and a red hat is located at the bottom left corner. The donor is likely to belong to the Drugpa Kagyu Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The painting style is common for the southern and southwestern Himalayas - popular with the Drugpa Kagyu Tradition.