A rare Tibetan or Bhutanese gilt bronze figure of a Lama

A rare Tibetan or Bhutanese gilt bronze figure of a Lama, seated on a lotus throne in dhyanasana, his hands in dharmacakra, wearing a long pleated robe, bracelets, anklets and a five leaf crown, the base sealed and engraved with a triple-whorl, 16th / 17th century, 13.5cm. The unusual iconography of this figure makes certain identification difficult. The characterful face combined with the robes suggest a portrait figure of a monk, but the crown, bracelets and position of the hands are attributes of Maitreya. Cf. Arts of Asia, September-October 2009, where this piece is discussed on p.10.