Painting Traditions of the Drigung Kagyu School is the fifth installment in the Rubin Museum’s series on the history of Tibetan painting. Again David Jackson has painstakingly elucidated a piece of the rich history of Himalayan art, provoking new discussion of the region and its place in the wider history of Asian art. Himalayan art is more than just painting and sculpture, it is an expression of age-old ideas that cross geographic and cultural boundaries and remain relevant to contemporary discourse.

Though the Drigung Kagyu was one of the most prominent and powerful schools of Tibetan Buddhism during its early period (circa 1180s–1280s), its art is still relatively poorly known, even in its homeland. Nevertheless, the Drigung Kagyu School is quite widespread within the Tibetan Buddhist cultural realm.

By David P. Jackson

With contributions by Christian Luczanits and Kristen Muldowney Roberts

Funding for the catalog has been provided by the Henry Luce Foundation.

Published: Rubin Museum of Art, New York (January 2015)