Monk Holding a Lotus
This wall painting was part of a composition that embellished the interior of a temple cut into the soft rock of the Kizil cliffs. The monk, shown in the pious act of offering a flower, was probably placed near a Parinirvana (death of the Buddha) image. Small details such as his shirt and outer robe provide a rare glimpse of the appearance of a member of the Buddhist community at the time.
Artwork Details
- Title: Monk Holding a Lotus
- Period: Kizil kingdom
- Date: ca. 6th–7th century
- Culture: China (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region)
- Medium: Pigments on mud plaster
- Dimensions: 32 x 14 3/4 in. (81.3 x 37.5 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Fletcher Fund, 1942
- Object Number: 42.49
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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Han Gan
ca. 750
China, Xinjiang, Pialma (75 km west of Khotan)
6th–7th century
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