Head of a Luohan

Northern Song, Liao, or Jin dynasty, c. 11th century

In traditional Buddhist belief, a luohan is a disciple who has attained enlightenment through intense personal effort. Beginning in the ninth century, the worship of luohan and their depiction in art evolved primarily within the Zen sect of Buddhism. This head was created using the delicate technique of hollow dry lacquer, where layers of cloth are soaked in lacquer (a thick sap) and then painted.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

China

Date

Northern Song, Liao, or Jin dynasty, c. 11th century

Medium

Hollow dry lacquer

Dimensions

28.6 × 18 × 20 cm (11 1/4 × 7 1/16 × 7 7/8 in.)

Origin

China

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Gift of the Orientals