Bathing of the Buddha Festival
1833
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From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
1833
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From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
This scroll shows a wild parade of cartoon-like monks and dragons. Water sprays. One monk splits open to reveal a Buddha inside. Another conjures a temple from thin air. The colors are bright and playful. Hua Ziyou painted this in 1833. He packed every inch with tiny, busy scenes. It feels like a festival snapshot, not a stiff religious picture. Check out how he uses cross-hatching. Tiny lines give shape to robes and waves.
