Apr

Buddha Portrait Paintings Of Luang Prabang, Laos

My recent visits to the ancient capital of Luang Prabang in Laos, has vastly widen my knowledge with deep impression on Buddha portrait paintings. I have captured a few snapshots of their Buddha portrait artwork. And was surprise to learn about these particular paintings, has taken into many creative form of portrait art on different painting surfaces.

Literally, “Luang Prabang”, the city located at the central of Laos’ northern region, is referred as “Royal Buddha Image”. As their city being named, so does their Buddha portrait paintings selling in every art gallery, as well as the famous night market stalls.

One of the portrait paintings I have observed was using pointillism technique, emphasize on groupings of very small dots or dashes of color ‘pointed’ on canvas.

Conceptually, pointillism artwork has some similarity in pixelation of computer graphics in modern days. As opposed to the conventional painting strokes by brushes, dots are ‘pointed’ instead. It is categorized as the Neo-Impressionism painting, evolving in the late 1880s.

Famous paintings for pointillism include Vincent van Gogh, on “Self Portrait, 1887” and the American photorealism artist, Chuck Close, on pixelated portrait painting “Lucas (1986 – 1987)”.

You are able to see below, a collected series of Buddha portrait paintings from Luang Prabang. Two sets using pointillism technique, with slight variant in using only mono color; it uses pen with black color ink. A few closed-up view of the pictures will be able to give you an idea on all this “groupings of very small dots”.

Beside portrait pointillism, their Buddha portrait artwork has also ranged from wood carving and sculpture to acrylic portrait paintings on paper. And include, Buddha portrait drawings on the surfaces of sea shells, turtle shells, round pebbles and stencil paper stamping.