Naga398 Chinese Taoist ascetic wooden sculpture

Chinese wooden sculpture of a Taoist ascetic carved from a section of vine root, perhaps grape, with the head, arms, and feet hand molded of plaster, colored to match the dark wood. The base is also from a gnarled vine root. 19th century. Could also be a rakan or Buddhist disciple, many of whom starved themselves in search of the faith. The rakan or arhat, as he is known in Sanskrit, is a human being who brought himself to a state of ‘non-learning’ in which he could escape the cycle of birth and rebirth, thus enabling him to be born in Paradise and eternal life as a Buddha. I refer you to this excellent page for more information: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/rakan-arhat-lohan.shtml

For me, this little figure tells me to ‘get up and go’, to live each moment of life to the fullest. I find great humor as well in this piece. But you be the judge. Width 11 cm., height 15.5 cm.

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