Arhat

CHINA; Ming dynasty

This Bodhi leaf painted with an image of an Arhat is part of a set of 12 illustrated leaves that portray the Eighteen Arhats, Avalokitesvara, Four Heavenly Kings, and Skanda. The paintings are attributed to Ding Yunpeng, whose signature is written on the Bodhi leaf that depicts Skanda. Ding, a native of Xiuning, Anhui, and a devout Buddhist, was a painter during the late Ming dynasty (1368–1644).
The bearded Arhat, standing facing to the right with his head turned to the side, holds a vase in his right hand. He has thick curly hair and a beard, and wears a blue and red monastic robe over a light blue inner robe. The Arhat stands on green grass surrounded by rocks with red, white, and green plants and flowers growing on them. The folds and patterns on the monastic robe are meticulously drawn in gold.