Biography of a Sakya Lama

A vignette above the central figure of Lama Thutob Wangchuk shows four seated scholars from the Sakyapa school, headed by Sonam Tsemo (1142–1182), one of the grandsons of the founder of Sakyapa. The thangka features more than 300 figures, including monks, riders, nomads and pilgrims, as well as over 100 animals, such as horses, yaks and birds. The Lama’s biography consists of almost 30 scenes briefly annotated with small golden letters. They portray, for instance, his journeys to Mongolia and around Tibet, where he spread Buddhist teachings and performed ceremonies. The protagonist can be recognised by his characteristic moustache. The landscape is inspired by Chinese blue-and-green landscape motifs, but it is adapted to the Tibetan environment, featuring ridges with snow-covered mountaintops, shepherds’ tents and monasteries. The reverse side of the thangka is inscribed with a fourfold repetition of the mantra Om and Hum in Tibetan script.