The Eighteen Lohans c. 1690

Editor: Here we have "The Eighteen Lohans," a scroll created around 1690 by Leng Mei. It’s ink and color on paper, a very traditional medium, and the whole piece has this serene, almost ethereal quality to it. What strikes you most when you look at it? Curator: Ethereal is a beautiful word for it! To me, this isn't just a drawing; it’s like a whisper from another time. I’m immediately drawn into the personalities that Leng Mei has managed to capture – the slight quirks of each Lohan. It's as though he’s captured a moment of inner reflection, almost like glancing into someone’s dream. Each one different from the next – a little mischievous, slightly serene, a bit melancholy – like a spectrum of human experience distilled into these figures. Does their arrangement suggest a narrative to you, or a more meditative arrangement? Editor: It feels very meditative to me, a series of studies perhaps. I guess I'm interested in how these figures fit within the cultural context of the time. Were such depictions common? Curator: That's a fab question. While depicting Lohans – enlightened beings – was fairly common in Chinese art, Leng Mei's approach is somewhat special. Notice how he avoids rigid symbolism, unlike some artists of the period. Instead, his soft strokes and careful use of color bring them to life in a surprisingly intimate way. It makes them feel very present, wouldn’t you agree? Not distant, like gods on a mountaintop, but fellows on a spiritual journey. I wonder, what do you take away from their expressions? Editor: Their expressions do bring them down to earth. They feel like people rather than distant icons, which is maybe something I didn't fully appreciate at first. I initially perceived the art as ethereal and refined, yet on closer inspection, each subject carries such an incredible depth and variety. Curator: Precisely. It's a conversation across centuries. Art’s funny like that: a quiet chat with history!