Luohans

Unidentified

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Buddha achieved enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, India, in the fifth century BC, beneath a tree with large, spade-shaped leaves. This tree, a type of ficus, became revered by Buddhists as the sacred Tree of Enlightenment (bodhi tree) and was propagated by believers throughout Asia. In China, painters used leaves of the bodhi tree to create albums like this, which invest the ground of the image with an extra layer of sacred power by connecting it to the Buddha’s awakening. With bright, thickly applied mineral pigments, this album shows the luohans exercising their magical powers.

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