Footnotes

錯銀錯紅銅覺囊派初祖篤補巴喜饒堅贊銅像
西藏 十六世紀

Tibetan inscription
༄། ཀུན་མཁྱེན་ཆོས་རྗེ་ལ་ན་མོ།།

Transliteration
[1] § | kun mkhyen chos rje la na mo | |

Translation
Homage to the all-knowing Dharma Lord.

Himalayan Art Resources item no.16851
treasuryoflives.org biography no.2670
BDRC Resource ID P139

This heavy-set lama can be identified as the founder of the Jonang order, Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen (1292-1361), by recognition of his portrait, iconography, and inscription. Without spelling out Dolpopa's name, the inscription refers to him as kun mkhyen—meaning the 'Omniscient'—an honorific title given to Dolpopa in 1314, when he was just 22 years old. Here he is unusually depicted as a younger man, likely not much older than when he was given this title. The few other known sculptures of Dolpopa depict him older, donning the red cap of the Jonang order he would go on to found—and more double-chinned. Three examples can be viewed on HAR set no.1595, all with the same iconography and physical characteristics as the present figure. Portraits of Dolpopa also share a distinctive stylistic exuberance for patterning every inch of his robe.

Before leading a schism and founding the Jonang order, Dolpopa was trained in the Sakya school and renowned for his mastery of prolonged, isolated meditation—at one time evading an invitation from the Yuan Emperor, Huizong, by isolating in retreat for four years. Several aspects of this classic representation of Dolpopa allude to his significance as a master of meditative practice. The silver-inlaid rosary in his left hand is a device for counting mantra recitations. The silver-inlaid 'om' monogram at the center of his patchwork robe is commonly uttered at the start of each recitation. And, his slightly open mouth likely references Dolpopa's renown for being a master of yogic breath (prana), which is typically expelled through the mouth.

Provenance
Christie's, London, 19 March 1973, lot 39
Edward Pranger, Amsterdam, 2008