Lohan (Arhat) Holding a Fu Dog (1662–1722): Art, History and Details

Lohan (Arhat) Holding a Fu Dog (1662–1722) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

Lohan are disciples of Buddha with supernatural powers and eccentric behaviors. This lohan is holding the fu-dog, symbolizing good luck, while its mate is holding the peach of longevity (shoutao). With carefree smiles and playful gestures, these two figures embody a humorous attitude and a detachment from worldly affairs. This pair of porcelain figures was perhaps part of a house altar set or a decorative item in a household.

Object facts

• Title: Lohan (Arhat) Holding a Fu Dog
• Date: 1662–1722
• Culture: China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen kilns, Qing dynasty (1644-1911), Kangxi reign (1662-1722)
• Type: Ceramic
• Technique: porcelain with famille verte overglaze enamel decoration
• Dimensions: Overall: 24.3 x 12.6 cm (9 9/16 x 4 15/16 in.)
• Collection: China - Qing Dynasty
• Department: Chinese Art
• Accession number: 1964.191.2

A detail from the museum

This lohan and its pair embody a humorous attitude and playful behavior, indifference to danger and miracles, and hence a detachment from worldly affairs.

Collection credit

Severance and Greta Millikin Collection

Further reading listed by the museum

• Catalogue of the Severance and Greta Millikin Collection. Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1990.

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.