Five Hundred Arhats No.233 · The Venerable Foremost in Blessing | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.233 The Venerable Foremost in Blessing

'Foremost in blessing' is the head of all merit and fortune, deep in merit and wisdom as the many's guide, standing first among blessings; the name marks one complete in fortune, foremost in merit. The venerable has a weighty bearing and a peaceful look, possessing the gravity of one foremost in blessing, deep in good fortune, whom the many rely upon for his complete merit.

Painted by Li Zongyi in the freehand Chinese ink (xieyi) tradition, the brushwork is fluent and the ink tones layered from dense to pale, capturing the arhat’s spirit in a few assured strokes. The blank paper itself breathes Zen; figure and spirit are one, blending monastic solemnity with the literati’s ease. Each of the Five Hundred Arhats bears its own name and practice, uniting faith, art and collectibility — an original, non-reproducible hand-painted work.

Size: approx. 100×50cm (4.5 square chi) | Traditional hand-painted Chinese ink Zen Buddhist figure painting | On paper