Shakyamuni with luohan, heavenly king, and boys

Unidentified artist

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Young boys are a common auspicious motif in Chinese paintingand decorative arts. Here, a group of four boys playfully deliver offerings to Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha, who is attended by a luohan and a heavenly king, a martial figure who guards one of the cardinal directions.

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