Paljor Gyalpo

CHINA, Tibet, Lhoka

Paljor Gyalpo was born in Codoi, Lhoka to a family of painters. At age 11, his father began to teach him the theories and techniques of painting. He entered the Xueduibai Traditional Manual Art Center when he turned 21 and became involved in several large mural and thangka projects. His work was outstanding, particularly his paintings of Buddha images, and he was regarded as the foremost painter among the youths of Xueduibai. Paljor was quickly promoted to a junior overseer, eventually taking on the role of chief overseer of all projects.
He later became the director for the mural restoration project at Samye Monastery, and in addition to organizing the painting tasks for the monastery, he also designed and drafted blueprints and sketches for the complex. In 1955, together with Letsen Sonam Rinchen, he led a group of Xueduibai artists to paint the murals for the Takten Migyur Palace in Norbulingka Palace. These murals are still preserved today.
One of his representative works is the Paying Respect mural inside the central hall of Samye Monastery. This piece depicts monastics and devotees of different ethnic groups from around the world paying respect to the Fifth Dalai Lama and the Sixth Panchen Lama. The composition of the mural was a departure from the traditional standard, with the devotees depicted larger than the leading characters to emphasize their importance. The sharply contrasting colors create a harmonious image and the figures were painted with remarkable differences in expressions, posture, and attire. The mural expresses a unique style in Tibetan painting and exhibits a realistic portrayal which is rarely seen in Tibetan artwork.