Arhat

CHINA; Ming dynasty

The Arhat, smiling compassionately, sits on a wooden chair carved with dragon heads. He has a high forehead, long ears, white eyebrows, a white beard, and a wrinkled face. An attendant standing beside the Arhat carries an auspicious creature in his arms. The creature has its paw placed on the face of the attendant, adding a comic touch to the painting. The folds on the Arhat’s clothing are painted in quivering strokes and natural flowing lines, with the coordinated use of turns, twists, and breaks in the brushstrokes. An inscription in the bottom right corner gives the name of the sponsor of the painting, Gu Wuzu from Jingli (present day Jingxian, Anhui). The exaggerated facial features of the main figure brings to mind the Arhats painted by the monk Guanxiu.