4 replies to this topic

[weppler1978]

Hi

This item makes me smile everytime, just an amazing statue with great detail, especially the teeth. It appears to be asian in design and carved from Rosewood with really cool teeth inlay of what, I'm not sure, so you can see I am no expert.

Please take a look and see if you can give me any more info on this little guy.

http://www.chesleyso...tatueasian.html

Thanks again

Traci

[Sabrina Gage]

I think it is based on a traditional Chinese farmer or fisherman who always wears a hat when working.

[ghostexorcist]

He has the characteristically knobby head of a Luohan. There are statues of the Buddha with an emaciated body, so the statue's proportions are meant to convey an ascetic. Check out this picture of a starving Luohan:

http://www.piercegal...ving_lohan.html

[ghostexorcist]

This picture is even closer to the statue in the original post. Therefore, it is most definitely a starving luohan:

http://www.liveaucti...m/item/10236068

[Nocturama]

It could also be a statue of Damo (达摩)/Bodhidharma, a famous and somewhat legendary buddhist monk (you can look him up on wikipedia or other sources, he is an important buddhist figure). The statue seems to be wearing only one shoe, which is a characteristic of Damo, though he normally carries the shoe in his hand. The emanciated body wouldn't be unusual, but this one is really skeletal, so the starving Luohan might be more fitting.