Thangka of the 7th Dalai Lama, Kelzang Gyatso

This Tibetan thangka depicts Kelzang Gyatso centrally, wearing the traditional yellow scholar's hat and saffron robes, holding a flower stalk in his right hand and a manuscript in his left. He is framed by a lush landscape with floral motifs and a green mandorla, while the register above contains a blue Buddha flanked by smaller figures, and the bottom register features the wrathful, blue-skinned deity Palden Lhamo surrounded by flame-like clouds. The composition is highly symmetrical, utilizing vibrant mineral pigments, and is bordered by a wide, textured yellow and orange silk textile mount.

This painting serves as an iconographic program for the 7th Dalai Lama, linking him to the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and its lineage of enlightened masters and protective deities. The inclusion of Palden Lhamo emphasizes his role as the protector of the Dalai Lama's institution.