KANGXI SIX-CHARACTER MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE PERIOD (1662-1722)

Luohan (also known as arhan or arhat) are Buddhist enlightened beings who act as worldly conduits to the state of infinitely expanded consciousness granted by their enlightenment. Numbers vary in Buddhist iconography, but eighteen was eventually established as the standard Chinese grouping which became popular in later-Chinese art, appearing in a wide variety of media. The present brush pot depicts the luohan in various small conversational groupings, painted in rich tones of underglaze blue. Please see the note to lot 3531 for a further discussion of this theme.