Begtse Chen

Begtse Chen is one of the main protectors of the Geluk School of Tibetan Buddhism and especially revered in Mongolia. He is named for the great copper coat of mail he wears, which is prominently featured in this dynamic sculpture. Here he is also shown wielding a sword with a scorpion handle, and his left hand once held a heart up to his gaping mouth.

Movement is suggested not only by his stance but also the ends of his garment swirling in all directions and his hair standing on end, simulating flames in both form and color. Begtse’s face bears an extremely wrathful expression, including features that compare well to eighteenth-century central-Tibetan paintings of this deity. However, the rather simplified attachment of his copper cuirass, facial features, stylized hair, and strong relationship to the region, all suggest that this sculpture is Mongolian in origin.