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An inscription on the base of this sculpture identifies the figure as Jampa Karma Dargyay and tells us that a mother and son commissioned the idealized portrait. Although Jampa Karma Dargyay is not known from other historical sources, his portrayal here indicates that he was a lama, a revered teacher of Tibetan Buddhism. Dressed in an elaborate robe and a hat that associates him with the Sakya monastic tradition, he makes the gesture of teaching with his right hand and holds a book with his left hand. The auspcious mark between his eyebrows, called an "urna," draws attention to the intense gaze of his silver-lined eyes. The materials and craftsmanship must have pleased the patrons of this image, for the inscription draws attention to the sculpture's "most amazing ingredients and skilled artistry."