Figure of Luohan and Tiger
Unknown Artist
Medium
Unglazed pottery
Dimensions
H. 2 3/8 in. (6 cm); W. 2 in. (5.1 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture & Period
China · Song dynasty (?) (960–1279)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1930
Accession Number
30.76.81
Tags
Art Historical Context
This diminutive unglazed pottery sculpture, titled *Figure of Luohan and Tiger captures a serene Buddhist monk—known as a luohan, or arhat—accompanied by a tiger, likely symbolizing the taming of wild forces or spiritual protection. Crafted in China during the Song dynasty960–1279), a golden age of artistic refinement, it stands just 2⅜ inches tall, suggesting it was a personal devotional object or part of a larger ensemble for private worship. Song-era ceramics are renowned for their technical mastery, but this unglazed earthenware exemplifies a more rustic, tactile style, possibly from folk...