A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF A GELUGPA LAMA

QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

Footnotes

Identified by the pandit's hat, the Gelugpa lama is seated peacefully on a beautifully incised two-tiered cushion, holding his right hand in the gesture of explication (vitarka mudra), while his left rests in his lap. His stout proportions, most evident in profile, amplify his commanding, yet cheerful presence.

Conceived as the revival of the Kadam school (f. 11th century), the Gelug order, founded by Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), emerged during the 15th century out of an apparent need to reform lax monastic traditions. Despite efforts by the Kagyu order to undermine Gelug establishment in the Lhasa region, the Gelug school eventually became the dominant spiritual and political power in Tibet by the 17th century, and formed strong ties with the Qing imperial court. It was in this historical context, as the Gelug school received state sponsorship in China, that the present Tibeto-Chinese bronze was created.

Likely representing a Dalai Lama, this sizable bronze figure is of superior quality, seen in the sensuous modeling of his face and hands, the naturalistic rending of the folds of his monastic robe, and their delicately incised hems. Compare with a large gilt bronze figure of Changkya Rolpai Dorje published in Dinwiddie (ed.), Portrait of the Masters, Chicago, 2003, pp.328-9, no.94.

Provenance
Lingero Collection, Brussels, before 1975
Private European Collection, 1975-2014


銅鎏金格魯派喇嘛像
清朝，十八世紀
喜馬拉雅藝術資源網2135號
高 25.5 釐米 （10 英寸）

800,000-1,200,000 港元

此格魯派喇嘛頭戴標志性班智達帽，靜坐於刻工精美的雙層坐墊之上，右手施推究印(vitarka mudra)，左手置於膝上。造像身形結實，側面尤為明顯，突顯無上之威嚴，兼有喜樂平和之相。

十五世紀噶當派（起源於公元十一世紀）寺廟制度松散，宗喀巴（1357-1419 年）對其進行改革復興，繼而創立了格魯派 。盡管噶舉派竭力地阻止格魯派在拉薩地區之發展，格魯派依然於十七世紀成為了西藏最強大的宗教和政治力量，並與清政府來往密切。正是在這樣的歷史背景之下，格魯派獲清政府財政支持，此尊藏漢風格造像應運而生。

此尊造像可能以達賴喇嘛為原型，其體量敦碩，面部與雙手之刻畫栩栩如生，僧袍褶皺飄逸流暢，衣緣花紋刻工精細，藝術水平殊為上乘。比照一尊風格相似的章嘉若必多吉造像，參見 Dinwiddie，Portrait of the Masters，芝加哥，2003 年，頁 328-329，94 號。

來源
Lingero收藏，布魯塞爾，1975 年以前
歐洲私人收藏，1975-2014 年