Tsong Khapa, Founder of the Geluk Orderc. 1440–70 · Study 1981.33

Context from the museum

The Buddhist order to which the Dalai Lamas belong was founded by Tsong Khapa (1357–1419), whose image is seen here as the large central figure holding his hands in the teaching mudra. He wears the pointed golden hat that is the insignia for monks of the Geluk order. At the level of his ears are the sword and book, emblems of Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom. These emblems allude to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition that accorded Tsong Khapa the status of being an emanation of Manjushri. This extraordinary, sumptuously rendered painting, made only decades after his death, retains elements of portraiture in the facial features that become formalized in later works, especially from the mid-1600s onward, when the Geluk monks dominated the Tibetan theocracy. He is surrounded by lineage masters, many in lively gestures of debate, whose analyses of doctrines and practices led to Tsong Khapa's final formulation of the Lam Rim text on the stages of the path to enlightenment, which is foundational to the Geluk order.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected overall measurement for Tsong Khapa, Founder of the Geluk Order is 75 cm wide and 91.5 cm high, equivalent to approximately 29.5 × 36.0 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.82:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.69 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 25.0% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 112.5 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Tsong Khapa, Founder of the Geluk Order in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Gum tempera and gold on cotton, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 75 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?