The Buddhist elder Gopaka

The arhat (“foe destroyer”) Gopaka holds a book, symbolic of his dedication to the teachings of the Buddha and his firm resolve to help others with his knowledge. He and his attendant are shown against a typical Chinese landscape, painted in the blue-green tradition. Symbols of long life surround the arhat, such as the pine tree and the crane. The multiarmed goddess Ushnishavijaya floats on a visionary cloud above. This thangka, like the one to the right, was probably one of those commissioned by the Qianlong emperor for celebrating his and his mother’s birthdays.