Five Hundred Arhats No.172 · The Venerable Gladly Seen | Traditional Hand-Painted Chinese Ink Zen Buddhist Figure Painting | 100×50cm

Five Hundred Arhats · No.172 The Venerable Gladly Seen

'Gladly seen' means those who see him rejoice, his kindly face drawing them at once to delight; the name marks one of loving countenance who gladly forms bonds of joy with others. The venerable has smiling eyes and a cheerful look, possessing the approachable warmth of a kindly, gladly-seen face that none tire of, drawing beings through genial, pleasing marks.

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