Daruma Figure Made of Bizen Ware with Crossed Arms
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 30 cm
- Width 12 cm
- Weight 2 g
- Color Brown
- Item Type Figure
- Material Ceramics
- Period of Creation Meiji (1868–1912)
- Style / Tradition Bizen-yaki
- Unique Work Yes
No longer available
Description
With a gaze turned deeply inward and arms crossed over the chest, this figure embodies Bodhidharma, the legendary Indian monk who is considered the founder of Zen Buddhism and is known in Japan by the name Daruma. His nine years of meditation facing a rock wall, according to tradition, caused his legs to atrophy – a motif reflected in the compact, self-contained form of this depiction.
The unglazed, reddish-brown body of the Bizen ware lends the figure an earthy, archaic presence that suits the ascetic symbolism of the motif well. The deep folds of the robe and the striking facial features with the pierced eyes were modeled with a confident hand, conveying the determination and inner calm of the figure depicted. The natural coloring of the Bizen clay, produced entirely without glaze, underscores the immediacy of the depiction.
Created in the Meiji period, this Daruma figure is an impressive testament to Japanese ceramic art, combining the symbolism of perseverance and strength of will with the rustic charm of the Bizen tradition.
