ARTIST :
. Banryu was the eccentric but highly regarded abbot of beautiful Zuiganji in Matsushima. When Banryu first arrived at the temple to assume the abbotship, he was dressed so shabbily that the gatekeeper mistook him for a beggar and sent him to the kitchen for food. Banryu was a popular Zen master with many students, including a number of laymen and laywomen. He was well-known for his wonderfully expressive portraits of Daruma. Although Banryu did not begin painting seriously until his eighties, he was a productive and creative Zen artist. |
DESCRIPTION :
This is a wonderfully expressive Daruma portrait by Banryu, and the brushstrokes are soft and lucid. Brief, sure strokes abbreviate the body, small intense dots of ink draw us in to the eyes. The inscription reads "Externally, cut off all relationships; Internally, do not stir the mind. Make your mind like a solid wall And enter the Way. Respectfully painted by Banryu of Zuiganji."This inscription is usually painted on "Wall-Gazing" portraits of Bodhidharma. It describes the fierce determination necessary for a Zen practitioner; one must withdraw for a time from all worldly pursuits and concerns, look inward, and whole-heartedly pursue realization. |
