Page 54 - 2020 September 23 Himalyan and Southeast Asian Works of Art Bonhams

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A PAIR OF SILVER AND GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURES
OF THE SEVENTH KARMAPA CHODRAK GYATSO
AND THE FOURTH SHARMAPA CHOKYI DRAKPA
TIBET, LATE 15TH/16TH CENTURY
Tibetan inscriptions at the back of each figure’s lotus base, translated: “Homage to the glorious
Karmapa Chodrak Gyatso!” and “Homage to Chokyi Drakpa who wears the long-eared red
hat!”
Himalayan Art Resources item nos.68493 & 68494
Karmapa: 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm) high;
Sharmapa: 3 3/8 in. (8.6 cm) high

$100,000 - 150,000

西藏 十五世紀末/十六世紀 銀質銅鎏金第七世大寶法王確札嘉措與第四世夏瑪巴確吉札巴像

It is extremely rare to find silver portraits of such remarkable quality surviving in pairs. It is all
the more satisfying here that each figure represents one of two complementary branches
of the Karma Kagyu school’s leadership—made known thanks to the lasting red and black
pigments on their hats. It is the Karmapa, wearing a black hat, who identifies the next incarnate
Sharmapa, wearing a red hat, and the Sharmapa who identifies the next incarnate Karmapa.
Seated on matching gilt-bronze lotus bases, the two hierarchs are flawlessly represented
wearing chased silver garments that testify to the hand of a virtuoso.

The two teachers are identified by their inscriptions as the Seventh Karmapa Chodrak Gyatso
(1454-1506), and his student, the Fourth Sharmapa Chokyi Drakpa (1453-1524). The Seventh
Karmapa is remembered for being a compassionate leader and an accomplished scholar. He
is said to have brokered peace among local tribes in southern Tibet. The Seventh Karmapa
also established seminaries at Tsurphu monastery and Chokhor Lhumpo, and authored
important exegesis, including the Lamp of the Three Worlds, a commentary on Asanga’s
Abhisamayalankara. Meanwhile, the Fourth Sharmapa was a primary disciple of the Seventh
Karmapa and supervised Go Lotsawa Zhonupel (1392-1481), who authored The Blue Annals, a
principal survey of Tibetan history.

52 | BONHAMS