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Natural Wood Burl Carving of Daruma browse these categories for related items... All Items: Archives:Regional Art:Asian:Japanese: Pre 1920: item # 538613 Please refer to our stock # 11-330 when inquiring.
B & C Antiques P. O. Box 291 Derby, CT 06418 203-929-7312 Guest Book SOLD |
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This highly expressive wooden figure of Daruma has been executed in the “partial carving” technique, which utilizes wood burls or other chunks of wood with great natural character leaving them in their original shapes. Meiji/Taisho period, early 20th century. With its piercing eyes, which are beautifully rendered in great depth and detail, Daruma’s forceful face shows sheer determination and strong will. The head, upper chest and shoulders are precisely carved, but the remainder of the piece is left in its natural uncut state to imaginatively suggest the body of the patriarch swathed in his monk’s robe. The flowing shape of the wood suggests the mystical blowing wind and spiritual power that emanates from Daruma. At the base of the figure, the natural core of the wood has been left to suggest an exposed foot protruding from beneath his robe. This figure was carved from a solid piece of nicely grained hardwood, and it has acquired a most pleasing patina with age. (A similar example is illustrated in Figure 61 in the book “Daruma: The Founder of Zen in Japanese Art and Popular Culture” by H. Neill McFarland.) The wood is unknown but this piece is extremely heavy for its size.
Since there are excellent woods among Japan’s natural resources, woodcarving as a Buddhist art has had a long and significant history in that country. The most effective Daruma carvers exhibited their reverence for wood in using this carving technique, which leaves a large portion of the figure uncarved to preserve the wood’s own contribution to the shape and texture of the ultimate product. Daruma, the monk who brought Zen Buddhism to Japan, has become a familiar and beloved figure with an important place in religion, art and folk culture. In Japanese folklore, he is widely seen as a symbol of good fortune and success through perseverance. This carving epitomizes both the creative energy and the conceptual richness inherent in Japanese folk sculpture. Condition is excellent. Dimensions: 9 ½” (24 cm) high, 7” (17.8 cm) wide, 3 ½” (9 cm) deep. |
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