Potala Palace: Fifth Dalai Lama

CHINA, Tibet, Lhasa

Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso, the Fifth Dalai Lama, was the first holder of the religious title to assume rule over Tibet. This bronze sculpture from the 18th century strikes a balance between portraying his place in the spiritual hierarchy and, at the same time, conserving his individual appearance. He is depicted as balding, with imperious eyes and a thin drooping mustache. The figure is seated with legs crossed upon a layered, floral cushion. He is dressed in monk’s attire with the right hand raised in the vitarka (teaching) mudra while holding the long stalk of a lotus at shoulder height. This element is a reference to his being a manifestation of Avalokitesvara, whose alternative name is Padmapani, the lotus-bearer.