Bhadra, The Sixth Luohan

Unidentified artist

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Luohans (arhats, in Sanskrit) or "worthy ones" are disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha to whom he entrusted the guardianship of the Buddhist law. In China these enlightened beings became the focus of popular veneration and were typically shown in groups of sixteen, eighteen, or five hundred. This painting of the sixth luohan, one of twelve that survive from a set of eighteen, is typical of the Chinese treatment of this subject. Inspired by the powerful portraits of individual luohans created by the monk-artist Guanxiu (832–912), the figure is dressed like a monk but given exotic facial features to emphasize his non-Chinese origins. Shown as dwelling in the wilderness, his appearance of spiritual authority is enhanced by his frequent companion, a tiger, which is also the Chinese cosmological symbol of the West.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art