Portrait of a Noblewoman

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Portrait of a Noblewoman

Southern Central Tibet, 13th century
Sculpture
Wood with paint and gilding
20 3/8 x 8 x 6 1/4 in. (51.75 x 20.32 x 15.88 cm)
Purchased with funds provided by Harry and Yvonne Lenart (AC1993.147.1)
Not currently on public view

Curator Notes

...
This unusual wooden sculpture of an unidentified elite woman standing on a lotus base has highly individualized facial features with staring eyes. This suggests that it may be a portrait, perhaps of a female donor or a royal patroness portrayed as an honorific attendant to a deity or Buddhist master. She wears a headdress with a lotus medallion, heavy jewelry including a square amulet box (ga’u), jacket, and long robe. The figure may have originally been part of a group of wooden sculptures in a temple niche or shrine.
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Bibliography

  • Pal, Pratapaditya et al.  Tibet:  Tradition and Change.  Albuquerque, NM:  The Albuquerque Museum, 1997.