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Daruma figures

Date20th century

MediumHanging scroll: ink and colors on silk

Dimensions49 x 15 3/4 inches (124.5 x 40 cm)

CultureJapan

ClassificationsPaintings

Credit LineGift of Mr. and Mrs. C. Arthur Bratton in honor of Miss Angie Crew

Terms

Paintings
Scroll
Japanese
Hanging scroll: ink and colors
Bodhidharma
Buddhism
Daruma
Priests
Religion
Zen
Silk

Object number74.047.008

Label CopyThese figures of Daruma, the legendary patriarch who brought Zen Buddhism from India to China, resemble tumble-toys called okiagarikoboshi-daruma. Weighted at the bottom, they bounce back upright when pushed over, thus symbolizing determination. The depiction of Daruma tightly wrapped in his monk's robe and appearing legless refers to the story that his legs atrophied during the seven years that he meditated continuously before attaining enlightenment. Such humorous depictions of Daruma are typical in Japanese art. At election time in Japan, candidates traditionally paint in one eye on a Daruma toy, then paint in the other eye if elected.

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