The 16 arhats are believed to be either the actual disciples of the historical Buddha or later devout followers of his teachings. Both traditions honor the arhats as fully realized preservers and transmitters of Buddhist wisdom who, through their intensive meditation, gained supernatural abilities and even, in some cases, immortality. They are believed to dwell on Earth in hidden realms, appearing on occasion to devotees in need.

The conventions of the arhat genre came to Tibet through Chinese paintings along with other artistic techniques and ideas. In both Chinese and Tibetan arhat paintings, the figures are portrayed as either idealized monks or as grotesque sages, caricatured as foreigners and gnarled ascetics. Tibetan artists embraced Chinese ideas and combined them with distinctly Tibetan innovations, and their high level of skill, sophistication, and creativity are the focus of this exhibition.

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