Vajraputra

CHINA; Yuan dynasty

Vajraputra is the eighth Arhat described in the Records of Nandimitra’s Discourse on Abiding Dharma. This picture, dated to 1345, is part of a set of paintings of the Eighteen Arhats that also includes images of Nandimitra and Cudapanthaka, which are kept in the Shanghai Museum. The style of this painting is similar to the painting of Cudapanthaka.
Vajraputra sits on a rock with his body slightly turned, tilting his head back and gazing upwards with a contemplative expression. He has long ears, a large nose, and bright eyes. The dark inner robe is covered by a patched monastic robe draped over the left shoulder. Vajraputra holds a bell in his left hand and a vajra in his right. His right foot is tucked up against his body, leaving an empty shoe on the ground below. The face of the figure and the folds in the robe are illustrated with precise, flowing lines.