Artwork
Li Tieguai; Liu Haichan
Li Tieguai; Liu Haichan is an unspecified painting by the Ming dynasty painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1304 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Two hanging scrolls depict Daoist immortals Li Tieguai and Liu Haichan, created during the Yuan dynasty in China.
About this work
On the left, a bearded man with a crutch leans forward, puffing out a tiny version of himself.
You see two tall scrolls side by side. On the left, a bearded man with a crutch leans forward, puffing out a tiny version of himself. On the right, a chubby man in a hat holds a string of coins.
These are Daoist immortals from Yuan-dynasty China. The left figure, Li Tieguai, lost his body while his spirit traveled. He had to take over a beggar’s body—hence the crutch. The tiny figure he breathes out shows his soul still wandering.
To see more paintings like this, look up *china, yuan dynasty (1271-1368)*.
Overview
Two hanging scrolls depict Daoist immortals Li Tieguai and Liu Haichan, created during the Yuan dynasty in China.
Subject & Meaning
Li Tieguai is shown with a crutch, having taken over a beggar's body after his own was destroyed while his spirit traveled. He exhales a miniature version of himself, symbolizing his ability to journey spiritually. Liu Haichan, often associated with wealth, teases a three-legged toad with a string of coins.
Technique & Style
The pair of scrolls presents the figures in a straightforward manner, with Li Tieguai leaning forward and Liu Haichan holding a string of coins, showcasing the artist's attention to detail and characterization.
Context
These paintings are representative of Yuan dynasty art, a period marked by significant cultural and artistic developments in China.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
