Seated luohan with a servant

Seated luohan with a servant

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This luxurious carving was made for the Qing imperial court. The luohan, a Buddhist sage, sits in meditation with a rosary while a boy attends at his feet. From his long eyebrows and position beneath a tree, this luohan may be identified as Nakula. A poem of praise for Nakula in the upper right was authored by the Jiaqing emperor (r. 1796–1820) and inscribed by his elder brother Yongxing (1752–1823).

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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.