Who painted 明? 佚名舊傳貫休羅漢圖軸|Luohan?

明? 佚名舊傳貫休羅漢圖軸|Luohan was painted by Guanxiu in 15th century?.

Where can I see 明? 佚名舊傳貫休羅漢圖軸|Luohan?

明? 佚名舊傳貫休羅漢圖軸|Luohan is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 明? 佚名舊傳貫休羅漢圖軸|Luohan?

明? 佚名舊傳貫休羅漢圖軸|Luohan is associated with Ming dynasty painting.

Artwork

明? 佚名舊傳貫休羅漢圖軸|Luohan

Guanxiu

明? 佚名舊傳貫休羅漢圖軸|Luohan is an ink painting by the Ming dynasty painting artist Guanxiu. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This hanging scroll, titled Luohan, is an ink and color on silk painting depicting a Buddhist holy figure.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting portrays a Luohan (Arhat), a Buddhist holy man, as indicated by its title '羅漢圖' (Luohan picture). Both sources identify the work as depicting a Buddhist male figure, emphasizing its religious genre. As a Luohan, the figure symbolizes the Buddhist ideal of enlightenment and the attainment of arhatship, embodying the virtues of wisdom and compassion within the Buddhist tradition.

Technique & Style

The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Luohan painting is executed as a hanging scroll in ink and color on silk, a traditional East Asian support that allows for vertical display and the subtle layering of pigment and wash. The use of silk rather than paper contributes to the luminous quality of the colored areas and the crisp definition of the ink lines used to model the Buddhist figure. The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

While the scroll is traditionally attributed to Guanxiu, it is recorded as an anonymous work of the Ming period, suggesting later hands may have applied the ink and color in a manner imitating the earlier style of the Luohan iconographic tradition.

History & Provenance

Traditionally attributed to the artist Guanxiu, this hanging scroll depicting a Luohan is dated to 1449. Executed in ink and color on silk, the work originates from China. While earlier attributions linked the piece directly to Guanxiu, modern classification often lists the creator as unknown, retaining the historical association as a former tradition.

The painting currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Specific details regarding its original commission, intermediate ownership history, or the circumstances of its creation are not established in the available records.

Overview

This hanging scroll, titled Luohan, is an ink and color on silk painting depicting a Buddhist holy figure. While historically attributed to the Tang Dynasty monk-painter Guanxiu, scholarly consensus now suggests it is an anonymous work from the Ming Dynasty, likely a devotional copy. It exemplifies the enduring influence of Guanxiu's distinctive style in later Buddhist art.

Context

This painting belongs to a tradition of Buddhist devotional art, likely produced by monastic artists during the Ming Dynasty around 1449. It directly references the iconic style of the Tang Dynasty painter Guanxiu, whose original luohan depictions were highly revered. Later monks meticulously copied these works, preserving the distinctive, non-naturalistic facial features as a means to emphasize the holy men's spiritual power and detachment from the mundane world.