File talk:Central Asian Buddhist Monks.jpeg

Indo-Iranian[edit]

The Caption states person on left is European/West Asian (due to blue eyes & allegedly red hair); REALLY? then why does he have brown skin in clear contrast to the almost white skin of the East Asian monk on the right? Amazing how something as significant as his skin color has been overlooked by the original poster. In addition, the 'traders' hand gestures and features are more typical of contemporary Persian, Afghan or North Indian ethnic culture and phenotype. It is shear speculation as to what is the real ethnicity of the "trader" based on this portrait; an ethnicity that cannot be attested to by such superficial attributes as 'blue-eyes" (a trait found through-out Afghanistan, Iran and Northern India) or 'red hair' (as many people from west asia to southern asia have used henna to dye their hair and beards red). Certainly the apparent Indo-Iranian "traders's" brown skin is not consistent with a 'European' origin. 66.130.177.182 (talk) 04:54, 18 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Tocharian[edit]

The English and Spanish descriptions are divergent. In addition to the comments above, it indicates that it is an example of Trocharian art, and that the subject on the left is a Trocharian. Is there evidence to support either assertion? --166.248.0.252 (talk) 03:53, 14 September 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Interesting. Here's a link on Tocharian languages. There is also a Wiki-page on Tocharians. Joshua Jonathan (talk) 05:24, 8 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]

This series of paintings depicts people from a number of different cultures and ethnic backgrounds (often within the same painting). Even if the painting were made by a Tocharian artist, that would not necessarily tell us anything concrete about this figure, per se. Tengu800 14:48, 8 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Central Asian monk teaching East Asian monk[edit]

Given the above remarks on the origin of the red-haired monk, and given the melting pot of Central Asia, a neutral description would be "Central Asian monk teaching East Asian monk". Joshua Jonathan (talk) 05:24, 8 July 2012 (UTC)[reply]

It's clear that the painting was done by a Chinese painter. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.234.9.219 (talk) 02:38, 10 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]