Terms and conditions of use
The life of Tsongkhapa
(18th century)
- Medium
- opaque watercolour and gold paint on cotton
- Measurements
- 206.1 × 338.0 cm
- Place/s of Execution
- Tibet
- Accession Number
- 1533A-D4
- Department
- Asian Art
- Credit Line
- National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of the O. F. Semler family in memory of O. F. Semler, 1955
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of The Gordon Darling Foundation - Gallery location
- Level 1, NGV International
- About this work
-
The central figure in this large biographical thangka (painting) is Tibetan Buddhist teacher and author Tsongkhapa (1357–1419), founder of the Gelug order of Tibetan Buddhism. He and his disciples established the important monasteries of Ganden (1409), Drepung (1416) and Sera (1419), which appear in the painting. Tsongkhapa is considered to be the spiritual father of the Dalai Lama lineage and an incarnation of the Bodhisattva (elightened being) Manjushri, who is shown to the left of the central figure. Tsongkhapa appears numerous times, receiving gifts from emissaries, delivering a sermon within a large monastery, teaching, travelling in a small boat and meditating.
- Physical description
- Scenes from the life of the founder of the Yellow Cap Sect.