Tsongkhapa Lama Statue – Fire-Gilded Bronze, Ladakh (18th–19th Century) lot 435
Seated bronze statue of Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug tradition. Fire-gilded bronze with lotus flowers, teaching gesture, and characteristic diamond punch marks on hands and feet. Ladakh, 18th–19th century.
This bronze sculpture represents Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, shown seated in a composed teaching posture. The figure is dressed in sober monastic robes, without bodhisattva ornaments, emphasizing his identity as a historical lama and spiritual teacher rather than a celestial deity.
On both sides of the figure rise handworked lotus flowers, individually shaped and finished after casting. The lotus flowers symbolize purity and the transmission of Buddhist doctrine and are executed in a distinctly manual manner, with visible variation in form that confirms traditional workshop craftsmanship rather than serial production.
A key technical detail is the presence of diamond-shaped punch marks on the hands and feet. This ruit- or diamantpatroon is characteristic of Newar metalworking traditions and is frequently encountered in sculptures made for or within the Ladakh region. The punch work was applied by hand to animate the surface and enhance the interaction with light, especially when combined with original fire gilding.
Traces of original fire gilding remain visible, particularly in protected areas, alongside a naturally developed patina consistent with age and long-term ritual use. The combination of Gelug iconography, Newar technical features, and stylistic restraint places this sculpture firmly within the Ladakh cultural sphere, dating to the 18th–19th century.
This is an authentic, pre-industrial devotional sculpture, created for monastic or temple use, and a strong example of Ladakhi Buddhist art influenced by Nepalese Newar craftsmanship.
Tsongkhapa Lama Statue – Fire-Gilded Bronze, Ladakh (18th–19th Century) lot 435
Description
Estimated Value: €3,200
Object
Seated Tsongkhapa lama statue, Gelug tradition, Ladakh region, 18th–19th century.
Material
Copper-based bronze with traces of original fire gilding.
Technique
Hollow-cast bronze with hand-finished detailing. Hand-punched diamond texture on the hands and feet. Lotus flowers finished by hand after casting.
Iconography
Depicts Tsongkhapa, founder of the Gelug tradition. Seated in a calm teaching posture with a teaching/exposition mudra. Paired lotus flowers rise at left and right, expressing purity and the transmission of Buddhist doctrine.
Surface & Evidence
Naturally worn gilding and layered patina consistent with age and devotional handling. The diamond punch work is aged in tone and integrated into the surface, confirming it as original workshop finishing rather than a later addition. The lotus elements show manual finishing with visible variation, consistent with pre-industrial craftsmanship.
Construction
Traditional cast structure with hand-refined surface details and finishing work on decorative elements.
Condition
Good overall condition with expected age wear, surface rubbing, and localized loss of gilding. No visible modern repainting or artificial surface leveling in the provided images.
Dimensions
Dimensions H 40 x W 28.5
Authenticity
The combination of original fire-gilding traces, long-term patina development, integrated punch work on skin areas, and hand-finished lotus elements supports an authentic pre-industrial devotional sculpture from the Ladakh cultural sphere, 18th–19th century.
Validation report prepared for 1stbuddha.
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Tsongkhapa Lama Statue – Fire-Gilded Bronze, Ladakh (18th–19th Century) lot 435
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