A Lama | The Lama Dpal ldan tshul khrims, anonymous, 1700 - 1800
bronze (metal), h 19.0cm × w 14.0cm × d 12.5cm More details
Such statues may have been ordered by followers of the lamas (Buddhist religious teachers) and then offered to a monastery. This was considered a great tribute. Like those of the gods (see the nearby Kuvera), these statues were often consecrated by placing small objects of symbolic value in them. Under the foot of the right statue is a red lacquer seal, possibly to protect and close off such an object.
