Daruma, Geisha, & Fuji

Daruma is the Japanese name for Boddhidharma. He was an Indian monk who came to China and founded the Ch’an school of Buddhism which was later called Zen Buddhism in Japan. Here we see Daruma making amorous advances toward a geisha with the background of Mount Fuji. There are several interpretations possible for this subject. First, it is simply an example of the irreverent fun that Japanese artists often show toward profound subjects. Or, in the Asian concept of the universe, the balance between the dualities of reality are sometimes shown as resolved in the union of male and female. A painting of this type would have been appropriate for a geisha house or restaurant in the gay quarters.

达摩与仕女。明治。设色纸本立轴。质优。这幅画的含义可以有两种解释。一，仅视为一种幽默。二，在亚洲的宇宙观中，现实的二元性可以在两性的结合中取得平衡。这类作品通常会陈设于同性恋的艺妓屋或餐厅、宿舍。