Qing Imperial Palace: Statuette of Arhat

CHINA, Beijing; Ming dynasty

The statuette is made of bamboo and portrays an Arhat with a round face and broad forehead, large downcast eyes, bulbous nose, prominent cheeks, wide mouth, and long ears. He has muscular shoulders and arms. A robe is draped over his right shoulder and he wears a lower garment which hangs down in folds with only his toes visible. He holds a large string of prayer beads in his right hand, which rests on his knee. The Arhat sits in royal ease posture on a rock as a lion cub stands playfully on his left leg and looks up at him. Behind, there is a pine tree which provides shelter.