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22. Tsongkapa Tibet 15th c. bronze, copper alloy, gilded, cast in the lost wax method. Sword is of silver and book is inlaid with lapis lazuli height 23 cm. |
Tsongkapa (1357-1419), also known as Je Rinpoche, was the founder of the Geluk school of Tibetan Buddhism and was revered as an energetic renewer of the Buddha’s teachings. The two major elements of the Geluk tradition are the unity of the sutra and tantra with an accent on vinaya (moral discipline). Born in Amdo (northeast Tibet), Tsongkapa travelled around the country and studied many different preceptors. In 1409 he founded the monastery of Ganden to expound his own teachings, which were based on those of the Kadampa and Sakya schools. He was perhaps the greatest commentator of Buddhism in history and wrote more than 10,000 pages in explanation of the ancient books of Buddhist wisdom. His most famous masterpiece is the Lamrim Chenmo or Great Book on the Steps of the Path, a clear and detailed roadmap to enlightenment. This he wrote at the great monastery of Radreng, in south Tibet, following a month-long prophetic vision. The vision was triggered by the Mountain of Blessings, a prayer and guide to perfection used by lamas ever since, as preparation for the secret teachings of Buddhism. As usual Tsongkapa is portrayed in a peaked yellow cap, with a stern but gently smiling face without beard or moustache, a rounded rather than angular face, and above all authoritative. He is seated on a double lotus throne and raises his hands in the dharmachakra mudra, preaching the Buddhist law. His attributes appear on the lotus flowers at his shoulders – a pustaka, the book of wisdom, and a khadga, the sword destined to deal with ignorance. A thin robe cloaks his shoulders and wraps tightly round his body and legs. This beautifully arranged and folded monastic attire is engraved with clouds, flower motifs and patterns. This fine temple bronze, in which some influence from the neighbouring Nepalese Newari craftsmen can be noted, is south-central Tibetan in origin and belongs to the Sakya sect. Typical features are the construction of the double lotus throne, the pronounced feet and the carefully posed fingers, the style of the finely folded garment with engraved patterns, the casting in copper alloy, and the colour of the gilding. This powerful portrait of Tsongkapa has a focused and striking volume in stimulating contrast with the finely delineated lines of the lotus flowers, robe and facial features. Portrayed here as a supreme teacher, the figure evinces a strong individuality expressive of deepest spiritual conviction. The bronze is superbly cast, shortly after Tsong Khapa was a living person, with attention devoted to every detail. Complemented by a lively gilding this portrait may be seen as one of the best known examples, a great portrait of one of Tibet’s most revered historical figures. Provenance: Private collection Italy. Art Loss Register Certificate, Reference S00004039. A. K. Gordon, The Iconography of Tibetan Lamaism, New Delhi, 1978, p.107. Tsong Khapa, 16th century. R.N.Prats, Monasterios y lamas del Tibet, Madrid, 2000, p.213, n°183. Tibet, Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), 16th century, height 21 cm. |