Human world
Statuette of the Buddha of Eternal Life Amitayus (Sanskrit) Tse pa me (Tibetan)
Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, Tibet, 19th century
Accession Number 50.31.55
The Panchen Lama, Chokyi Nyima, presented this figure to Bell in 1913. The Panchen Lama is second in rank only to the Dalai Lama.
Sir Charles Bell spent 20 years of his working life in the Himalayan region. He was the British Political Officer for Tibet, Bhutan and Sikkim.
He studied the Tibetan language and culture. He gathered a large collection of objects, which he carefully recorded.
Many of the objects were either formal or personal gifts. They are a reflection of Bell's close friendship with many Tibetans and, most notably, his friendship with the 13th Dalai Lama.