Open full image Pin

Meditating Daruma

Tōrei Enji

1750

unspecified

From the collection of Los Angeles County Museum of Art

18th Century

Dominant colour

Meditating Daruma is a 1750 unspecified by Tōrei Enji, held at Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Tōrei Enji
When & what style?: 1750
Where can I see it?: Los Angeles County Museum of Art

About this work

This painting features a simple yet striking composition. On the left side, a series of Chinese characters are written in black ink, while on the right, a large, abstract shape resembling a pear or a gourd is depicted in gray. The background of the painting is a light beige color, which provides a subtle contrast to the darker ink and gray tones. The abstract shape on the right side of the painting appears to be a stylized representation of a gourd, which is a common motif in Japanese art. The use of bold, expressive brushstrokes adds a sense of energy and movement to the painting. The painting's simplicity and elegance make it a compelling work of art. To learn more about the artist's use of bold brushstrokes and expressive lines, you can explore the technique of chiaroscuro.

About the artist

Artist

Tōrei Enji

Tōrei Enji made bold ink portraits of Zen masters in the 1700s. His *Meditating Daruma* shows the founder of Zen seated in sharp, calligraphic strokes, robes pooling like ink spilled on paper. Daruma’s single sandal…

See the richer artist page