Daruma in Ink (Myōshin-ji)

Name: Daruma in Ink (Myōshin-ji)
Brand: Washi Gitoku
SKU: 6491
Price: 390.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Kakemono, unique work, 125 x 41 cm

Product number: 6491

Height 125 cm
Width 41 cm
Item Type Kakemono
Jikusaki Wood
Material Honshi Paper
Period of Creation Shôwa (1926–1989)
Technique Hand-Painted
Unique Work Yes

Signature / Stamp:

Washi Gitoku

€390.00

Available, delivery time: 1-3 Days

Description

With just a few powerfully applied brushstrokes, the unmistakable image of Daruma emerges – that legendary Indian monk Bodhidharma, who brought Zen to China in the 5th or 6th century and is regarded as the founder of the Zen tradition. The intense gaze, the distinctive nose, the dense beard, and the heavy, flowing robe are captured with consummate ink technique. The combination of powerful, almost calligraphic lines and the delicate hatching of the beard lends the depiction an extraordinary presence.

Daruma images are among the central motifs of Zen painting. They are far more than portraits – they embody the meditative spirit and the uncompromising focus on inner realization that constitutes the essence of Zen. The depiction is accompanied by a calligraphic inscription and several red seals, which embed the work in its spiritual context.

The painting bears the stamp of Washi Gitoku from Myōshin-ji, the head temple of the Rinzai Myōshin-ji school in Kyōto, and was created in the Showa period. Executed on paper and mounted in a dark blue brocade frame with a gold pattern, this hand-painted unique work is a piece of immediate expressive power and spiritual depth.

Frequently asked

Does this work carry a seal or signature?

Yes, this piece carries the signature or seal of Washi Gitoku

When was the work created?

Based on the previous owners' information and the condition of the object we place it broadly in the Shôwa (1926–1989) period, but cannot give a precise date.

Is this genuine craftsmanship?

Yes, this piece is a genuine handcrafted original that exists only once.

Why does the date of creation sometimes not match the artist's dates

Because the two pieces of information speak about different things: the period designation describes the object – support, colors, condition – while the signature reflects which name appears on the painting. In most cases there is no attempt at deception behind this, but rather Japanese painting training: copying from workshop models was the curriculum for centuries, an utsushi is regarded as a bow to the teacher, workshops signed with the master's name, and artist names were passed down within a school. Such a hanging scroll is therefore not a forgery, but a hand-painted one-of-a-kind that continues the formal language of its school – just not the work of the famous name, and priced accordingly. We explain this in detail in the guide Why does a kakemono often bear the signature of an artist long deceased?.