Portrait of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama

This 18th-century gilt bronze portrait depicts Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (1617-1682), the Fifth Dalai Lama, known simply as "the Great Fifth." He was the first Dalai Lama to assume both spiritual and secular leadership, unifying Central Tibet in 1642 for the first time since the 9th century. He commissioned construction of the Potala Palace in Lhasa and produced more literary output than all other Dalai Lamas combined.

Portrait sculptures of important lamas are central to Tibetan Buddhist practice, serving as focal points for devotion and meditation. This piece captures the seated meditation posture and monastic robes of a high-ranking teacher. At about 5.5 inches, it was likely made for a private shrine. It's at the Art Institute of Chicago, acquired through the Kate S. Buckingham Fund.