明 佚名 觀音羅漢圖 扇|Guanyin and the sixteen luohans
16th–17th century
Medium
Round fan mounted as an album leaf; ink, color, and gold on silk
Dimensions
Sheet: H. 12 in. (30.5 cm); W. 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm); Diam. 8 3/8 in. (21.3 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
John Stewart Kennedy Fund, 1913
Accession Number
13.100.123
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite round fan painting, now mounted as an album leaf dates to the Ming dynasty (8–1644), likely from the 16th or 17th century. Titled *Guanyin and the Luohans*, it the compassionate Bodhisattva Guany surrounded by the sixteen luohans—enlight disciples of the Buddha revered as protectors of Buddhist teachings. Rendered in ink, color, and gold on silk, work captures a serene Buddhist gathering amid landscapes featuring bridges, evoking a sense of spiritual harmony and journey. In Ming China, such fan paintings were prized for their portability and intimacy, often carried by scholars ...