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A fine soapstone figure of a luohan, seated, his hands hold open his robe to reveal a mask of Buddha carved in high relief on his chest. The luohan’s hair is finely stubbled and his face bears a gently smiling expression with downcast eyes. His robe is decorated with scattered clouds and floral designs with cloud and wave pattern borders. The stone is a beige tone with red markings.
18th century
Total height: 4 3/4”, 12 cm
For a similar example in the British Museum (Sloane Collection), see Jourdain and Jenyns, Chinese Export Art in the Eighteenth Century, no. 128 (right), p. 135, also illustrated in Jenyns and Watson, Chinese Art: The Minor Arts II, no. 182, pp. 270-1; and for a further example, see With, Chinesische Kleinbildnerei in Steatit, abb. 44, p. 123.
