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CHINA, QING DYNASTY, 17TH-18TH CENTURY
Details
A RARE AND INSCRIBED GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF THE FOURTH DALAI LAMA, YONTAN GYATSO (1589-1617)
CHINA, QING DYNASTY, 17TH-18TH CENTURY
The Dalai Lama is seated on a double-lotus base, with his right hand resting on his knee holding the stem of a lotus that blossoms at his shoulder, and his left balancing a turquoise-inset flaming triratna. He is clad in heavy robes with foliate-incised hems, and holds his face in a serene expression with steady gaze. The back of the lotus base is incised with an inscription in Tibetan, and the gilt-bronze base plate is incised with a double-vajra.
10 3/8 in. (26.3 cm.) high
CHINA, QING DYNASTY, 17TH-18TH CENTURY
The Dalai Lama is seated on a double-lotus base, with his right hand resting on his knee holding the stem of a lotus that blossoms at his shoulder, and his left balancing a turquoise-inset flaming triratna. He is clad in heavy robes with foliate-incised hems, and holds his face in a serene expression with steady gaze. The back of the lotus base is incised with an inscription in Tibetan, and the gilt-bronze base plate is incised with a double-vajra.
10 3/8 in. (26.3 cm.) high
Provenance
The Sandor P. Fuss Collection, United States
Property of an important Asian collector
Property of an important Asian collector
Literature
D. Weldon and S. Sauveniere, Homage to the Holy: Portraits of Tibet's Spiritual Teachers, London, 2003, no. 43
M. Brauen, The Dalai Lamas: A Visual History, Zurich, 2005, pp. 66, 288 and fig. 34
A.M. Rossi and F. Rossi, Buddhist Bronzes from the Sandor P Fuss Collection, London, 2007, no. 17
M. Brauen, The Dalai Lamas: A Visual History, Zurich, 2005, pp. 66, 288 and fig. 34
A.M. Rossi and F. Rossi, Buddhist Bronzes from the Sandor P Fuss Collection, London, 2007, no. 17
Exhibited
Homage to the Holy: Portraits of Tibet's Spiritual Teachers, Rossi & Rossi, London, 6-28 November 2003
Buddhist Bronzes from the Sandor P Fuss Collection, Rossi & Rossi, New York, 19-27 March 2007
Buddhist Bronzes from the Sandor P Fuss Collection, Rossi & Rossi, New York, 19-27 March 2007
Further details
The inscription on the present figure translates as “Left 11th, The Glorious Dharma King of Dechen,” referencing the figure’s position within a larger lineage group and identifying the subject through an epithet as the Fourth Dalai Lama, Yontan Gyatso (1589-1617).
Born in Mongolia, Yontan Gyatso has the distinction of being the only non-Tibetan Dalai Lama. He was the great-grandson of Altan Khan, leader of the Tümed Mongols, who had established close ties to the Gelug order in the 16th century through his relationship with Sonam Gyatso, upon whom he bestowed the title of Dalai Lama (which roughly translates to Ocean of Wisdom). Upon Sonam Gyatso’s death, the members of the Gelug sect sought to maintain the relationship with the powerful Mongols and thus cleverly selected the next incarnation of the Dalai Lama from among the Mongolian nobility. The choice was not well-received among certain parts of the Gelug hierarchy back in Tibet, and so the boy was raised in Mongolia until his adolescence, excelling in the study of tantra. In 1602, Yontan Gyatso finally traveled to Lhasa and studied under the Fourth Panchen Lama, Lobzang Chokyi Gyelsten; he was fully ordained in 1614, but died a short time later in 1617.
While he is referred to as the Fourth Dalai Lama, Yontan Gyatso was actually the first to undergo the selection process for Dalai Lamas. In truth, his predecessor Sonam Gyatso was the first to receive the title, and only later were the First and Second Dalai Lamas, Gendun Druba and Gendun Gyatso, respectively, recognized as previous incarnations of the office. It was actually the Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngagwang Lobzang Gyatso, who established the lineage of the Dalai Lamas and their ancient, pre-Dalai Lama incarnations, utilizing an ancient text called the Kadam Legbam, which recounted the previous incarnations of the great 11th century teacher, Dromton Gyalwai Jungne. By tying their lineage to that of Dromton, Lobzang Gyatso legitimized both the spiritual authority of the Dalai Lamas as well as the political power of the Gelug order within Tibet.
After the establishment of the Dalai Lama lineage, representations of the incarnations became increasingly popular, in both sculpture and painting. Such depictions were relatively standardized, and a popular format in painting included thirteen compositions, a complete set of which can be found in the collection of Tibet House, New Delhi (Himalayan Art Resource, item nos. 71934-71946). The position number of “Left 11” on the present figure, however, implies the sculpture was part of a composition of at least 23 figures, if not more, of the Dalai Lama lineage. Such a large grouping, particularly given the size of each figure, would have been an extremely important commission, given the material cost in bronze and gold.
Born in Mongolia, Yontan Gyatso has the distinction of being the only non-Tibetan Dalai Lama. He was the great-grandson of Altan Khan, leader of the Tümed Mongols, who had established close ties to the Gelug order in the 16th century through his relationship with Sonam Gyatso, upon whom he bestowed the title of Dalai Lama (which roughly translates to Ocean of Wisdom). Upon Sonam Gyatso’s death, the members of the Gelug sect sought to maintain the relationship with the powerful Mongols and thus cleverly selected the next incarnation of the Dalai Lama from among the Mongolian nobility. The choice was not well-received among certain parts of the Gelug hierarchy back in Tibet, and so the boy was raised in Mongolia until his adolescence, excelling in the study of tantra. In 1602, Yontan Gyatso finally traveled to Lhasa and studied under the Fourth Panchen Lama, Lobzang Chokyi Gyelsten; he was fully ordained in 1614, but died a short time later in 1617.
While he is referred to as the Fourth Dalai Lama, Yontan Gyatso was actually the first to undergo the selection process for Dalai Lamas. In truth, his predecessor Sonam Gyatso was the first to receive the title, and only later were the First and Second Dalai Lamas, Gendun Druba and Gendun Gyatso, respectively, recognized as previous incarnations of the office. It was actually the Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngagwang Lobzang Gyatso, who established the lineage of the Dalai Lamas and their ancient, pre-Dalai Lama incarnations, utilizing an ancient text called the Kadam Legbam, which recounted the previous incarnations of the great 11th century teacher, Dromton Gyalwai Jungne. By tying their lineage to that of Dromton, Lobzang Gyatso legitimized both the spiritual authority of the Dalai Lamas as well as the political power of the Gelug order within Tibet.
After the establishment of the Dalai Lama lineage, representations of the incarnations became increasingly popular, in both sculpture and painting. Such depictions were relatively standardized, and a popular format in painting included thirteen compositions, a complete set of which can be found in the collection of Tibet House, New Delhi (Himalayan Art Resource, item nos. 71934-71946). The position number of “Left 11” on the present figure, however, implies the sculpture was part of a composition of at least 23 figures, if not more, of the Dalai Lama lineage. Such a large grouping, particularly given the size of each figure, would have been an extremely important commission, given the material cost in bronze and gold.
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