Eddie Pistorino
Label: Head and bust of a Luohan (Arhat), fragment
Ming dynasty, 1368-1644
China
Iron
H x W x D: 56.3 x 33.3 x 23.9 cm (22 3/16 x 13 1/8 x 9 7/16 in)
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Freer Gallery of Art
DVC:
This sculpture is of a Buddhist figure called a Luohan or also known as a “Arhat.” It dates back to the Ming dynasty from the years 1368 to 1644 in China. Some visual characteristics that I can see is that it obviously looks very ancient. Many spots on the face of the sculpture are wearing away causing the coloration to turn into a lighter brown as opposed to the darker brown shade that takes up the rest of the sculptures face and torso. Another interesting characteristic I noticed is how he is missing a lot of the right side of the sculpture. Maybe these peices had fell off when discovered by the artist or maybe it was even made that way.
References:
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Freer Gallery of Art
https://asihttps://asia.si.edu/object/F1913.78/a.si.edu/object/F1913.78/
