Jin Nong

CHINA; Qing dynasty

The seal script in the upper right corner translates as “Portrait of Dongxin,” one of the names of the artist Jin Nong. The painter of this picture, Luo Pin, was one of Jin Nong’s two prominent disciples. He mastered Jin’s style of portraiture and often painted on his behalf.
In this profile painting, Jin Nong resembles an Arhat. He sits on a large rock and reads a palm leaf Sanskrit sutra. Jin has a bare head and a thick beard. The head is painted in light ocher and outlined using light ink. Thick lines trace the folds in the robe, and white pigment is used to depict the beard. Small dots add texture to the robe. Varied lines and shades give the painting an elegant appearance.