Standing straight with serene expression, wearing a long sleeved flowing robe wrapped around the body, the shaven head flanked by pendulous ears, his hands joined at the chest, the robe with colour pigment in red, yellow and green and remains of gold lacquer. Period: Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Height c. 36 cm.

Provenance:
A Swedish private collection.

Note:
A luohan ('arhat' in Sanskrit) is a disciple of Buddha who has attained enlightenment and has achieved the status of the perfected being, but chooses to postpone his accession to Nirvana to remain in the world and aid all beings. The luohan achieves enlightenment through instruction rather than his own insight and meditation, and as a result, ranks below the bodhisattva. The term luohan, means 'worthy' or 'venerable' and refers to the Buddha's original disciples, and by extension, to any holy figure who upheld and defended the Buddhist dharma.