Zanabazar

MONGOLIA

Zanabazar was the First Jebtsundamba or Bogdo Gegen, beginning a lineage of living Buddhas who act as the spiritual leaders of the Gelug school in Mongolia. A prolific scholar and artist, Zanabazar was particularly gifted as a sculptor of Buddhist images. In 1657, he made three large gold statues for presentation to Emperor Kangxi (reigned 1661–1722) of the Qing dynasty.
Zanabazar sits in lotus position within a decorative niche, holding a sacred text in his hands as a mark of his great erudition. Vajrasattva and his consort are painted in the clouds directly above Zanabazar. The First Panchen Lama sits above Sarasvati in the upper left corner. The Fifth Dalai Lama and Six-Armed Vasudhara are on the upper right. In the center of the lower register, Vaisravana, Heavenly King of the North is depicted sitting on a lotus pedestal and holding a banner. Beside Vaisravana are two variations of Six-Armed Mahakala, surrounded by flames. The blooming peonies beside the central figure and the conical hills in the background are features of paintings by the monastic artists who worked in Chengde during the Qing dynasty.