The Arhat

Lu Hui was a master of traditional landscape techniques; thus, he became known as "the rebirth of Qing-period Wang Shigu." He was last of the modern Shanghai School to carry on Qing-period painting methods. The term "arhat," or "enlightened one," comes from Sanskrit. These figures are a major theme in Chinese Buddhist art. They are often portrayed in statuary and painting and are many stories about them. According to Buddhist scriptures, the Buddha instructed arhats to postpone nirvana and remain in the world, to be supported by believers and work for the enlightenment of all beings, propagating and protecting the Buddhist Dharma. They are the Buddha's original disciples, mendicant who reached the highest level of attainment in the Hinayana Buddhist tradition. Lu Hui's?Arhat?is modeled on Han-period Buddhist statuary found in stone vaults: a thin figure cloaked in a large red robe, with a ruddy complexion, his expression is one of complete composure, unaffected by worldly affairs or things of the world. Concise, flowing lines create a picturesque image of wisdom and calm. Compositionally, the arrangement is relatively simple. The arhat occupies the lower center of the painting, while a rubbing from a stele fills the space below, the images echoing each other. Overall, there is little embellishment, the work evoking an aesthetic mood of unadulterated beauty.