Kakemono Bodhidharma with Fan and Gourd Bottle

With a bushy beard, a piercing gaze, and a fan in hand, this is a powerful interpretation of Bodhidharma, the legendary founder of Zen Buddhism. Over his shoulder, a gourd bottle winds upward amid foliage – a motif often associated with Taoist immortals and their wisdom, and here merged in an appealing way with the depiction of the patriarch. The bold, caricature-like, sharpened facial features and the lively expression lend the figure an almost humorous presence, as is often found in Japanese Zen painting (Zenga).

An accompanying colophon inscription in cursive calligraphy adds a scholarly, literary dimension to the image. Painted on paper and mounted with a jikusaki of wood, this hand-painted unique work from the Shôwa period combines spiritual depth with painterly wit.

An expressive kakemono for lovers of Zen iconography and Japanese ink painting.