Bodhidharma with Flowing Robe and Calligraphy
Sold – no longer available
This piece was a handmade one-of-a-kind work. It cannot be reordered and will never exist in this form again. The page stays online as part of our archive.
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Details about the sold piece
- Height 195 cm
- Width 62 cm
- Item Type Kakemono
- Jikusaki Sculpture
- Material Honshi Silk
- Period of Creation Shôwa (1926–1989)
- Technique Hand-Painted
- Unique Work Yes
No longer available
Description
With a piercing gaze and energetic, broad brushstrokes, Bodhidharma, the legendary founder of Zen Buddhism, appears on this kakemono – the coarse, almost calligraphic linework of his robe stands in appealing contrast to the finely rendered facial features with bushy eyebrows and a long beard. His alert, almost piercing gaze seems to fix the viewer directly.
Above the figure is a short line of calligraphy, which lends the image an additional layer of thought and underscores the close connection between painting and the art of writing in the Zen tradition. Red seals at the inscription and signature confirm the artist's authorship and lend the sheet additional authenticity.
The work is painted on silk, fitted with a jikusaki made of synthetic material, and dates from the Shôwa period. In Japan, Bodhidharma is regarded as a symbol of unshakeable willpower and perseverance – a motif that has enjoyed great popularity in kakemono painting for centuries and, even today, holds its own as a powerful, characterful wall hanging.
