Potala Palace: Statuette of Phagpa

CHINA, Tibet, Lhasa

Phagpa, or Drogon Chogyal Phagpa in full, was the Fifth Patriarch of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was appointed National Master by Kublai Khan (reigned 1260–1294) of the Yuan dynasty in 1260 and became the first spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet.
The face and neck of Phagpa are painted in gold. Draped over the left shoulder are a inner and outer robe which is decorated with a field pattern. He is seated in full lotus position on a Sumeru throne, whose middle section consists of a tableau with four children playing among lotuses. Phagpa holds his hands in the Dharmacakra (Dharma wheel) mudra. A mandorla behind is made of gilt bronze with a scroll pattern and inlaid with colorful jewels.
The Sumeru throne stands on a highly decorated platform with two panels featuring openwork dragons. The platform is supported by legs, the two front of which are also decorated with dragons. Behind the figure of Phagpa is a framework divided into squares.