Guru Rinpoche — Silk Appliqué Thangka

Guru Rinpoche Silk Appliqué Thangka — Hand-Stitched by Urgyen Sonam

A truly exceptional and one-of-a-kind traditional Tibetan silk appliqué thangka of Guru Rinpoche, meticulously hand-stitched by Tibetan artist Urgyen Sonam.

What makes this piece particularly special is that the thangka bears the signature of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, making it a rare and meaningful work of sacred Tibetan Buddhist art.

• Artist: Urgyen Sonam
• Deity: Guru Rinpoche 
• Technique: Traditional hand-stitched silk appliqué and embroidery
• Thangka size: 88 × 61 cm
• Overall size with silk brocade: 151 × 84cm
• Creation time: Approximately 2 months of full-time work
• Signed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
• One of a kind 

The Art of Silk Appliqué Thangka

Silk appliqué thangka is one of Tibet’s most extraordinary traditional sacred art forms. Rather than being painted, the image is carefully constructed from individual pieces of silk, which are shaped, layered, embroidered and stitched together by hand.

This particular Guru Rinpoche took approximately two months of dedicated full-time work to complete.

The finished piece reflects Urgyen Sonam’s skill, patience, concentration and many years of training in this specialised Tibetan artistic tradition.

Traditionally treasured by monasteries, practitioners and collectors, silk appliqué thangkas are valued for their beauty, craftsmanship and spiritual significance. When carefully preserved, the textile construction also makes them remarkably enduring works of sacred art.

This Guru Rinpoche is not simply a decorative artwork, but a unique piece of living Tibetan artistic and spiritual tradition.

A rare opportunity to acquire an original hand-stitched Guru Rinpoche by Urgyen Sonam, bearing the signature of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Padmasambhava

Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, played a central role in establishing Buddhism in Tibet during the eighth century and is especially revered in the Nyingma tradition.

He represents wisdom, spiritual transformation and the overcoming of obstacles on the path to awakening.