AN UNUSUAL MATCHED SET OF EIGHTEEN IVORY LUOHANS, each delicately carved and wearing loose robes, their faces finely detailed with individual expressions, including Xin Pingdeng sitting cross-legged while holding his long eyebrows, Futuo Miduo tearing off his outer face to reveal an inner one, Yinian Jiekong holding a bell in his left hand, and a scroll in his right hand and Wu Daxiang holding his stomach open to reveal a small seated Buddha (three with minor damage), mid Qing Dynasty

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AN UNUSUAL MATCHED SET OF EIGHTEEN IVORY LUOHANS, each delicately carved and wearing loose robes, their faces finely detailed with individual expressions, including Xin Pingdeng sitting cross-legged while holding his long eyebrows, Futuo Miduo tearing off his outer face to reveal an inner one, Yinian Jiekong holding a bell in his left hand, and a scroll in his right hand and Wu Daxiang holding his stomach open to reveal a small seated Buddha (three with minor damage), mid Qing Dynasty
each approx. 10cm. high, all with stands (18)

Lot Essay

This is a complete set of eighteen Luohans, also referred to as Arhats, 'Destroyers of the passions', or 'Worthiness'. Luohans are Buddha's apostles, probably originated in Kashmir and were first mentioned as sixteen Arhats in the Mahayanavataraka, which was translated into Chinese in AD 437.

A full transcription of the sixteen names were given in AD 653 by the pilgrim Xuan Zang, leaving the last two to be explained. These additions were probably adopted by the end of the 10th Century, with the Arhats who tamed the Dragon and the Tiger. These two animals are symbolic of the East and West respectively. They could also be seen as the trimuph of Buddhism over Daoism, as the dragon and tiger are Daoist symbols. The Eighteen Luohans have distinguishing symbols, badges or poses but there are considerable variations on the theme.

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