The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of October 19, 2026

A hanging scroll in ink and color depicts a monk with light skin tone seated cross-legged on dark, angular rocks. He wears a red robe over gray garments, a solid white halo glowing behind his head. He sits beneath gnarled trees with heavily textured bark. To the left, a bowl hangs from a branch, while blue shoes rest below. Calligraphy and red seals mark the scene, and jagged rocks ground the lower right corner.

Portrait of a Monk

1948

Feng Chaoran

(Chinese, 1882–1954)

and Zheng Mukang

(Chinese, 1901–1982)
China, Republican era (1912–49)
Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
Overall with knobs: 177.8 x 63.5 cm (70 x 25 in.)
Gift of Dr. Matthew Edlund 2025.204
Location: 240A Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy

Did You Know?

The lotus-shaped utensil hanging from the tree appears to be an incense burner.

Description

A monk in a red robe is seated under a fig (bodhi) tree. He slipped off his shoes to cross his legs in a meditative position. His fly whisk conveys wisdom and authority, while the halo may allude to a person deceased. The unidentified sitter’s face was drawn by portraitist Zheng Mukang in a photorealistic manner; the tree and body were painted by Feng Chaoran who was Wu Hufan’s neighbor in Shanghai.
  • ?–1925
    Dr. Matthew Edlund, Sarasota, FL, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1925–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • The Plum Scenery Studio: Wu Hufan and His Circle in Modern Shanghai. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (May 31-November 8, 2026).
  • {{cite web|title=Portrait of a Monk|url=false|author=Feng Chaoran, Zheng Mukang|year=1948|access-date=19 October 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2025.204