Fifth Dalai Lama polychrome wood Tibet

The finely carved and painted wood image depicting the Great Fifth Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyamtso (1617-1682), seated on double cushions, his right hand in vitarka mudra holding the stem of a lotus flower, the left resting in the meditation position, his purba secured by a sash at the chest, and wearing a voluminous robe painted with elegant floral patterns, the face carved and painted with the characteristic physiognomy of the renowned Tibetan leader.

Christies, London, 6 July 1976, lot 46

Ethnographic Museum of the University of Zürich, August 4^th 2005 to April 30^th 2006

Martin Brauen, ed., The Dalai Lamas: a Visual History, Chicago, 2005, pp. 64-91.

In mostly good condition with some wear to the painted decoration and the shellac discolored to an even and warm tone overall. Some natural age cracks in the wood. The uppermost leaf on the flower stem broken with half the leaf missing. The tips of the thumb and forefinger of the right hand restored. Modern non-slip studs applied beneath and an original circular cavity carved out of the base for the insertion of now missing consecration materials.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This sculpture of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama is one of the most compelling and beautifully executed portraits known of the celebrated seventeenth century Tibetan leader, and as such is likely to be a ngadrama image, one carved from life. Ngawang Lobsang Gyamtso was born in Chongye near Yarlung to an aristocratic family. His mother was from the influential Nakartse family who were linked to the Jonangpa Order and it was their Abbot, Taranatha (1575-1634), who first named the child Kunga Mingyur Tobgyal Wangi Gyalpo.  Taranatha, the learned Buddhist historian, hoped the young boy would join his Jonang Order, but it was the Gelukpa that recognised him as the reincarnation of the Fourth Dalai Lama, and he was enthroned at Drepung in the Ganden Palace at the age of six. The Abbot of Tashilumpo, Panchen Lobsang Chögyen (1567-1662) named him Lobsang Gyamtso and organised religious instruction with the most authoritative Gelugpa monks of the time. It was, however, the Nyingmapa masters Khötön Könchog Lhundrub (1561-1637) and Zur Chöwing Rangdröl (1610-1657) that sparked his imagination and his interest in the magic rites that inspired his visionary insights. Although writing was one of his favourite pastimes, politics were one of his primary preoccupations. The Fifth Dalai Lama governed the Tibetan nation during troubled times. He restructured the society as it was fragmenting through power struggles between secular kings and religious hierarchies. He engineered the demise of the aristocratic military hegemonies by forcing the rulers to take residency in Lhasa and bestowing key political positions upon them. Thus power was centralised in the capital under his direct auspices, establishing the dynastic government that survived in Tibet until 1959. He built one of the world's most awe-inspiring buildings as his headquarters and monastery, the Potala Palace, which towers over the capital. Not only was he politically astute and an outstanding statesman, but also a prolific author of works on philosophy, meditation, history and poetry. For example, the exquisite "Gold Manuscript" now in the Musée Guimet, is a record of his tantric visions that reveal a complex understanding of Tibetan Buddhist ritual, see Samten Gyaltsen Karmay, Secret Visions of the Fifth Dalai Lama, London, 1988. For other portraits and a thorough discussion of the life and works of Ngawang Lobsang Gyamtso, see ed. Martin Brauen, The Dalai Lamas: a Visual History, Chicago, 2005, pp. 64-91.