Figure Daruma Figure Made of Bizen Ware with Wide Open Eyes

The third variant in this small series of Daruma heads made of Bizen ware shows the legendary Zen patriarch with wide open eyes and a hood-like draped headcovering. The intense, almost piercing gaze is meant to recall Bodhidharma's legendary nine-year meditation, during which he reportedly cut off his eyelids so as not to fall asleep.

The strong, reddish-brown firing color of Bizen ware is produced without glaze, solely through the interplay of fire, wood ash, and clay in the traditional anagama kiln. Darker shadings around the eyes and cheeks further intensify the alert, almost startled expression of the figure here. Such Daruma depictions are among the most popular motifs of Japanese ceramic art, as they combine Zen Buddhist symbolism with a folk tradition of good-luck charms.

Those who appreciate the individual craftsmanship of the Bizen firing technique, or who are looking for a striking addition to their collection of Buddhist figures, will find in this work a particularly distinctive example.