伝歌川豊春筆　蜀山人（太田南畝）賛　女達磨図|Courtesan as Daruma

Utagawa Toyoharu

ca. 1800; inscription ca. 1810 · Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper · Asian Art

Though a painting of a young woman, the red cape and cowl are associated with traditional imagery of Daruma (Bodhidharma), the legendary monk who traveled from India to China to establish Chan (Zen) Buddhism, who is often depicted in similar garb. The painting here, unsigned but most likely by Toyoharu based on stylistic considerations, is intended as a parodic depiction of a Yoshiwara courtesan. The poem by Shokusanjin plays on Buddhist phrases related to the Daruma’s nine years of zazen meditation in a cave to connote a drinking party. Drinking sake aged nine years, along with crumbs of snacks such as Zazen beans, we realize that originally there was nothing at all.

Artist

Utagawa Toyoharu

Date

ca. 1800; inscription ca. 1810

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Miki and Sebastian Izzard, 2018