Bodhidharma (Daruma Taishi)

Originally created in 1887, Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s Bodhidharma (Daruma Taishi) presents a striking portrait of Bodhidharma—known in Japan as Daruma and revered as the founder of Zen Buddhism—and captures the legendary sage in a moment of profound stillness beneath a glowing full moon. Wrapped in a vivid red robe that burns against the cool blue night, Daruma sits rooted among jagged rocks and wind-worn vines, his intense gaze and furrowed brow rendered with almost elemental force. The soft moonlight filters through curling leaves, heightening the contrast between the serene landscape and the monk’s fierce, unwavering presence. In this powerful composition, Yoshitoshi transforms a quiet moment of meditation into a scene of spiritual gravity, where the calm of the natural world meets the unshakeable resolve of a figure who embodies discipline, endurance, and awakening.