Luohan at The Royal Ontario Museum, Canada

This is one of six luohans created between the 11th-13th Century (Song dynasty). A luohan (arhat in Sanskrit) is a holy monk striving to attain Buddhahood through meditation. In Chinese temples, luohans are usually found in groups of sixteen or eighteen. The figures of this incomplete group all have strikingly individual postures and facial expressions. Terse and without any superfluous detail, they are powerful examples of Song dynasty sculpture. This object is part of Scan The World. Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email [e-mail] to find out how you can help.