Artwork

明/清佚名舊傳李公麟法海靈山圖冊|Procession of Arhats

明/清佚名舊傳李公麟法海靈山圖冊|Procession of Arhats is an ink painting. It dates from 1639 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This album, titled Procession of Arhats, comprises ten leaves rendered in ink on silk.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As part of an anonymous Ming-Qing album of ten leaves, the work belongs to the religious painting genre and was created in China in 1639.

The album leaf titled Procession of Arhats, executed in ink on silk, shows a lantern carried by a man and a woman, figures that appear in Chinese Buddhist iconography as symbols of guidance and communal devotion. The lantern functions as a metaphor for illumination of the path toward enlightenment, while the paired human figures suggest the participation of lay devotees in the sacred procession. As part of an anonymous Ming-Qing album of ten leaves, the work belongs to the religious painting genre and was created in China in 1639.

Its presence in the Metropolitan Museum of Art underscores its role as a representative example of devotional art from this era.

Technique & Style

The work is an album of ten leaves executed in ink on silk, a traditional medium for Chinese religious painting. Created in 1639, the piece measures 30.2 cm in height and 35.9 cm in width. The composition depicts religious figures alongside men, women, and lanterns, adhering to the iconographic conventions of the genre.

The support of silk suggests a delicate handling characteristic of album leaves intended for close viewing and intimate contemplation.

History & Provenance

The album titled Procession of Arhats, also known as Fahai Lingshan Tu, was created in 1639. Although traditionally attributed to the Song dynasty master Li Gonglin, the work is now classified as the production of an anonymous painter from the Ming or Qing period. The album consists of ten leaves executed in ink on silk and depicts religious scenes featuring figures such as men and women alongside lanterns. The work is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Overview

This album, titled Procession of Arhats, comprises ten leaves rendered in ink on silk. Created during the Ming or Qing dynasty by an anonymous artist, the work depicts a detailed procession of figures, including both men and women, moving through a distinct Chinese landscape. The composition conveys a sense of collective movement and activity, characteristic of processional scenes in traditional Chinese painting.