This sculpture is outstandingforits plastic beauty, the character it represents, its historical interest as well as the unusual circumstances when it was made. It was studied and published in 1977 by Mrs. Ariane MacDonald togetherwith Dvags-po Rinpoche and Yon-tan rgya-mtsho.

 The Fifth Dalai Lama to be was born in 1617 in the family of the Dukes of "Phyong-rgyas, from where the ancient Tibetan monarchy originated. They were Nyingmapas. The early seventeen century was a dark period in Tibet, which was divided by religious and political rivalries.

 The child's fate was to be outstanding anyhow because of his origin and because of political circumstances at that time. For a short period he was thought to be the reincarnation of the late Karmapa, then that of the Head Lama of the Drukpa Kagyupa school. In spite of adversity, he was finally recognized as the reincarnation of the fourth Abbot of the dGa'-ldan pho-brang, one of the monastic palaces of the Drepung monastery ( one of the three main Gelukpa centers near Lhasa ). Obviously the child was right in the middle of the fights opposing the Kagyupas to the Gelukpas. The latter's victory was to become final.

 The young Tulku ( the reincarnated ), enthroned in 1622 was to become one of the greatest leaders of Tibet, influencing up to now its politics, its arts, its literature and religion. In 1642 he founded a government system still in use in 1959, named the dGa'- ldan pho-brang, eponymous of the monastic palace where he was the Tulku. This government brought to an end years of civil war and unified Tibet under the triple rule of the Mongol Prince Gusri Khan ( who received the title of king of Tibet for assisting the Gelukpas ), that of the Dalai Lama and that ofBsod-nams chos- 'phel, the administrator of the dga'-ldan pho-brang of Drepung who then became the first Regent ( sde-srid ).

Born a Nyingmapa, he became a charismatic figure both for the Nyingmapas and the Gelukpas. When he was chosen as the Head of the country, he somehow pretended to keep the Gelukpas at bay or tried to, anyway. It is no doubt the reason why he decided to build the Potala in Lhasa in 1645 willing to impose national unity around his personality and the institutions he founded. The Potala was builton the premises of the former palace of the great King Songtsen Gampo who is credited according to the tradition to have introduced Buddhism in Tibet. It was also an opportunity for him to leave the Drepung monastery definitively. This government has ruled Tibet perfectly for forty years.

 On the fourth day of the first month 1682, the Nyingmapa master Padma "phrin-las sent a message to the Regent Sangs- rgyas rgya-mtsho at the Potala, informing him of bad omens concerning his «disciple and master», the Great Fifth Dalai Lama. He insisted that certain rites should be performed concerning his health and recommended a retreat which the Dalai Lama followed elevendays later. Subsequently, this retreat permitted to withhold the news of his death from almost everyone and especially from the emperor of China.

 On the twenty-fifth day of the second month, the Dalai Lama feeling his end close sent for the Regent and requested that the news of his death should be hidden. He assured him that his reincarnation should be recognizable easily. In case of doubt, the members of the government should consult the goddess Lha-rno. The Regent and the very few witnesses of the Dalai Lama's death consulted the goddess anyway and decided to keep the secret until the enthronement of his successor. The only outsider who knew was Gter-bdai gling-pa (1646-1714 ), the famous discoverer of hidden texts who was the closest Nyingmapa « master and disciple » of the Dalai Lama. The secret had to be kept and no change ï was ever to appear to allow the dGa'-ldan pho- brang government to go on. The secret was kept till 1697 when the sixth incarnation of the Dalai Lama was officially enthroned. Everything could ' function without the Dalai Lama as long as the emperor of China and the Tibetan leaders opposed to the Gelukpa were not aware of his death. It was therefore essential for the Regent and his peers to find as quickly as possible the new incarnation of their late . master and to initiate him as much as possible secretly.

 Our terra-cotta sculpture was created in this very specific background.

 When it was published in 1977, an error of print gave a height of 20 cm. though it is only 16 cm. The Fifth Dalai Lama is represented seated on cushions with the classical pandit hat on his head. One can see a phur-bu slid into his belt attesting of his

 Nyingmapa origin and the affinities he shared with them. It is true that during his lifetime he always favored this school,alleging that Dalai Lamas are somehow emanations ofPadmasambhava. This phur-bu can be seen on two other images of the same character. One is kept at the Museum of Fine Arts of; Boston ( inv.50 3606 ) and the other one at the Musee Guimet ( inv.M.G. 24.472 ). In her study Mrs. MacDonald made a very wise omparison with another self-portrait in terra-cotta of the Sixth Zhva-dmar Tulku dated 1630. The strong links between the two ' figures clearly attest of a tradition of religious portraits in the seventeenth century as well as the fact that dignitaries were skilful enough to produce beautiful little statues out of easily malleable material.

 This terra-cotta must have been used as a prototype for at least two cast series of the Dalai Lama postmortem portraits. One cast from the first series is kept in a private collection and is very similar tothe terra-cotta, except for a more rigid and less detailed ï rendering. The inscription has disappeared, disclosing only the name of the character represented. This cast was probably made between the official news of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama's death in 1697 and the passing away of the Sixth Dalai Lama in 1705.

^ The second series is approximately identical, but on all the known cast ( one was exhibited in Paris in 1977, No. 287 ) the phur bu has disappeared. Obviously, the first cast is a direct reference to the terra-cotta image whereas the second cast is but a simplified replica of the first one, a clear evidence of an anti- Nyingampa quashing. This second type of images most probably started after 1750, when bsKal-bzang rgya-mtsho, the Seventh Dalai Lama recovered the secular authority of his Fifth incarnation, after the failure of three consecutive secular governments backed by the emperor of China. This example demonstrates the existence of more or less recent replicas from former models. This opinion was often put forward by Gilles Beguin, who mentioned it for the first time in the 1977 catalogue «Dieux et Demons de I'Himalaya«, even when not always appropriate.

English translation: F. & J. Sliwka