Daruma

Hakuin employs bold brushwork and a limited palette of vivid hues, reducing the body to abstracted shapes while retaining the immediacy of the facial expression. The stark contrast between the bright figure and the rich brown ground creates a dynamic visual tension, characteristic of the artist’s vigorous, expressive approach to Zen painting.

The painting has remained in the public domain since its creation in the mid‑18th century, eventually entering the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s holdings. Its attribution to Hakuin Ekaku, a noted Zen master and painter, situates the work within the broader tradition of Japanese Buddhist art that traveled to Western collections during the 20th century.