Thangka of a Gelug High Lama

The central figure is an elderly lama wearing the yellow hat of the Gelug school, his right hand raised in a vitarka mudra holding a vajra, and his left hand resting in his lap holding a bell. He is enveloped by a dark, moody background featuring golden clouds and a geometric throne. The perimeter is populated by four wrathful deities in flames in the corners and a central wrathful protector at the bottom, while three peaceful figures sit in small circular mandalas along the top register. The palette is dominated by deep ochres, reds, and blacks, characteristic of late-period scroll paintings.

This thangka represents the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, evidenced by the characteristic pointed yellow hat (pandita hat). The iconography suggests a lineage thangka, designed to invoke the spiritual presence of a high-ranking master surrounded by his protective deities and enlightened predecessors.