Songtsän Gampo
The thangka started off as a traditional Nepalese art form. This form was originally exported to Tibet after Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal married Songtsän Gampo. In the early days, these painted scrolls became very popular with travelling monks because of their portability. During the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1912) Dynasty, the painting of thangkas flourished in Tibet.