Chinese print of an Arhat by the painter Guanxiu, China 18th century

Lithograph on black and white paper of a Lohan (Arhat). In the 9th century this portrait was painted, along with those of 15 other Ahrats, by the painter Guanxiu who was a Buddhist monk. 900 years later, in 1757, Emperor Kienlong during a visit to Shengyin Monastery in the former Hangzhou Province discovered the 16 portraits there. Admiring and in order to perpetuate them, he ordered the cutting of 16 sculpted stones to produce numerous prints of these works of art, of which here is one of the rare proofs. Since then, the original stones and paintings have disappeared. We still have, thanks to the emperor, the testimony of lithographs which were printed from 1757 and probably during part of the 19th century. We don't know how many copies. The Metropolitan Museum houses the complete series of 16 prints. One of them is identical to  ours. Good condition, no repairs. Slightly creased, stained and faded. Dimensions: 110x50cm
We keep 2 other lithographs from this series representing two other Lohans.