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Shinjuan Temple: Bodhidharma
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Shinjuan Temple: Bodhidharma
JAPAN, Kyoto; Muromachi period (1392–1573);By Bokkei; Ink on paper; 110.5 x 58.3 cm
This 15th century picture of Bodhidharma, the First Patriarch of the Chan school, was painted by the monk Bokkei, a disciple of both Tensho Shubun and Ikku Sojun. Ikku wrote the inscription at the top of this painting in 1465. It was listed as an Important Cultural Property in 1907.
Bodhidharma has a bristly beard, long eyebrows, furrowed brows and bright eyes that gaze upwards. His intense gaze conveys unshakable determination. The loose fitting robe is sketched with bold, thick brushstrokes. Two fingers of the left hand rest on the right sleeve. The finely detailed face contrasts with the rapidly painted robe. The depiction of the eyes and eyebrows recalls the Buddhist and Daoist paintings of the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). |
