Yutok Yontan Gonpo (1126-1202)

The physician Yutok Yontan Gonpo (1126–1202) is a founding figure of Tibetan medical practice and is the main author of an important medical text. His youthful, cleanly shaved face; unusual lotus crown; and other symbolic attributes, including the sword and book over his right shoulder representing knowledge and the vase filled with a triple jewel over his left shoulder symbolizing long life and abundance, mark the outstanding qualities of this lay practitioner.

Red background paintings such as this are commonly associated with Buddha Amitabha and his lotus family, which includes Padmasambhava, whose teachings form the basis for the medical tradition depicted by this painting. Here the selective use of color—green for trees, rocks, and foliage; pink for myrobalan fruits; and gray for clouds—gives the otherwise abstract palette a naturalistic touch.