Gendun Chopel (1903–1951) is widely regarded as one of the most important Tibetan figures of the twentieth century, famous for his skills as a poet and infamous for his controversial views. In November 2003 a remarkable event was held at Trace Foundation’s Latse Library in New York to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of his birth. It brought together from all over the world Tibetans who had known Gendun Chopel, as students, friends, and family members, as well as American, European, Chinese, and Tibetan scholars of Gendun Chopel’s life and works.

This volume brings together their many insights into this multifaceted figure. Gendun Chopel was also a talented artist, developing a style previously unknown in the long and illustrious history of Tibetan painting. Presented here for the first time are Gendun Chopel’s remarkable watercolors and pencil sketches, works that attest to yet another of his many distinctions: as Tibet’s first modern artist.

With essays by Donald S. Lopez, one of the world’s leading scholars on Gendun Chopel, this book sheds new light on the life and legacy of a Tibetan icon.