Image title: Portrait of a Lama (Bronze sculpture)

This Bronze sculpture shows the Portrait of a Lama, from the 16th/17th century origination from Nepal.—Materials used: Bronze, silver and copper inlay, traces of cold gold.

Notes: Lamas are depicted wearing monastic robes and sometimes the special hat of their order. They often display attributes and hand poses associated with the particular Buddhist deities they are believed to incarnate. The two Lama images in this case (2,3) [see previous image also], bear inscriptions but neither records the Lamas’ names, usually the only way such images can be identified. One is named as an emanation of Vajrasattva and may be the Panchen Lama Chogle Namgyal, who lived from 1375 to 1451, and whose sect was active in the Mustang region of Nepal.

Revered Historical Persons—Portrait-like images abound in Tibetan Buddhism. These symbolize important personages, including the founders of sects, famous lamas (monks, literally “superiors”), teachers and renowned Tantric adepts (mahasiddhas). Few are real portraits.

Gallery information:

The Patan Museum is located on the Durbar square of Patan (Lalitpur/Lalitapura, Kathmandu, Nepal) which is associated Keshav Narayan Chowk (Keshavnarayan)—a form of Lord Vishnu. Being listed as a World Heritage Site, the whole of Durbar square is filled with exquisite temples, sculptures and other ancient structures, of which the ancient history history can be traced to the Malla Kings of Lalitpur. It is an important site for both Buddhism and Hinduism.