Li Tieguai; Liu Haichan1300s · Study 1982.29

Context from the museum

This pair of hanging scrolls show the Daoist immortals Li Tieguai and Liu Haichan. It is said that Li Tieguai’s ethereal self visited the deified Laozi but when he returned, he found that his own body was burned. He had to inhabit the corpse of a person who used a crutch to walk, and thus gained his name Tieguai—the Iron Crutch. The painting depicts Li Tieguai after he took possession of the body, with the iron staff in his hand. As Li exhales, he blows a small Li Tieguai in the air, showing the immortal’s ability to send his spirit on journeys. Liu Haichan is often shown as a young man wearing bangs across his forehead. He was said to have lived during the Five Dynasties period (907–979) and left his position as a grand councilor to become a hermit. Usually depicted carrying a string of coins and accompanied by a three-legged toad, Liu Haichan became a god of wealth and his toad symbolizes wealth as well. In this scroll, Liu is teasing the three-legged toad with a string of coins tied to his waist

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

Li Tieguai walks with an iron crutch, while Liu Haichan is depicted with a three-legged frog.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected overall measurement for Li Tieguai; Liu Haichan is 38.6 cm wide and 106 cm high, equivalent to approximately 15.2 × 41.7 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.36:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.41 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 12.9% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 130.7 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Li Tieguai; Liu Haichan in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Pair of hanging scrolls; ink and color on silk, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 38.6 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?