Tiger-taming arhat

The Tiger-taming arhat, by an unknown court artist, Qing dynasty, late 1600s-1700s, hanging scroll, ink and colour on silk with details in gold, 170cm x 91cm

The painting, which comes from a set of religious images used in the "water and land" ritual—a Buddhist ceremony conducted for the salvation of "all the souls on land and sea"—is distinguished by its high level of craftsmanship, intricate detail, and lavish use of precious mineral pigments. An inscription at the lower right, 'Respectfully commissioned by the imperial prince Zhuang', attests to the fact that the painting was the product of the imperial workshop. Judging from the style, it was probably commissioned by the first holder of that title, the powerful Manchu prince Boggodo (1650–1723), whose great-grandfather Nurhaci (1559–1626) was the Qing dynasty's founder.