Page 87 - Himalayan Art Macrh 19 2018 Bonhams

Fig.3
Avalokitesvara, Kumbum, Gyantse
© Thomas Laird, 2018. Murals of Tibet, TASCHEN

However, our inscription only says so much, and Sonam Gyaltsen More information beyond this masterpiece and this initial inscription will
could also have been commissioned to produce sculptures for hopefully come to light to help us better understand Sonam Gyaltsen’s
various monasteries throughout Tibet. We should also not jump to the work and its relationship to the prevalent styles he would no doubt
conclusion that he was only confined to one medium. For instance, have been aware of and perhaps responding to, such as the Pala style
he might also have painted. His Avalokiteshvara Sahasrabhuja murals of Shalu monastery with their foliate banded jewelry, the gilded
Ekadasamukha represents the Bodhisattva with a thousand arms tashi gomang stupas of Drigung and Densatil monasteries, and the
symbolically, but its actual count is forty-two, with a complete set imperial style of the Yongle court. Also, his relationship to other master
of eight primary arms and thirty-four encircling arms. This is a rarely artists, such as teachers and apprentices, or contemporaries that he
seen configuration and perhaps the only other known example is the might have collaborated with in catering to the great flourish in artistic
subject of a mural on the second floor of Gyantse Kumbum (Fig.3), patronage within Tsang Province in the 15th century. This pivotal
which is part of a Sakya enclave no more than 60 miles from Shigatse. sculpture begs us to presume these historic persons can be found
Founded in 1427, Gyantse Kumbum is contemporary with Sonam the longer we look for them. The reading of its inscription promotes
Gyaltsen’s sculpture for Jamchen. This overlap of timing, geography, it to one of the most important surviving sculptures from Tibet of any
clergy, and iconography is enough for us to at least consider that period, identifying an artist we are now compelled to include among
Sonam Gyaltsen might have also been responsible for some of the the legendary giants of Himalayan art.
incredible artistic products of Gyantse Kumbum.

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