Daruma in a Boat with an Attendant

late 1760s

Not on view

A young woman poles a boat for a man wearing a red, hooded robe who leans over the side of the boat and uses his reflection to pluck stray hairs from his scruffy beard. This is an unusual display of vanity for Bodhidharma, who is traditionally shown crossing the Yangzi River on a reed that he plucked from the bank on his way to spread Zen teachings in China. Parodies of Bodhidharma (Japanese: Daruma) were common in the Edo period, when some unregulated sex workers were colloquially dubbed daruma in winking reference to the rhythms of their working lives being like the years Daruma spent meditating in a cave.

Artwork Details

鈴木春信画　船中髭を抜く朱達磨図
Title: Daruma in a Boat with an Attendant
Artist: Suzuki Harunobu (Japanese, 1725–1770)
Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
Date: late 1760s
Culture: Japan
Medium: Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper
Dimensions: H. 11 1/4 in. (28.6 cm); W. 8 1/8 in. (20.6 cm)
Classification: Prints
Credit Line: H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Object Number: JP1625
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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First Leaf of the Shunga; The Delightful Love Adventures of Maneyemon, Suzuki Harunobu Japanese, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japan — First Leaf of the Shunga; The Delightful Love Adventures of Maneyemon
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Gentleman Taking Leave of His Lady on a Veranda, Suzuki Harunobu Japanese, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japan — Gentleman Taking Leave of His Lady on a Veranda
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The Curtain Clam, Suzuki Harunobu Japanese, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japan — The Curtain Clam
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Woman Dancer in Daimyo's Palace, Suzuki Harunobu Japanese, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japan — Woman Dancer in Daimyo's Palace
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