A striking black-and-white portrait by Richard Avedon captures the Fourteenth Dalai Lama in his characteristic robes, rendered with the photographer's signature clarity and emotional depth against a plain background. Avedon's masterful use of the gelatin silver print medium brings an intimate luminosity to the spiritual leader's expression, highlighting both his serene demeanor and profound humanity. The image, taken at the Gyume Tantric Monastery in Karnataka, India, reflects Avedon's celebrated ability to reveal the inner life of his subjects through stark, unflinching portraiture.