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A MASSIVE BROWN-GLAZED STONEWARE FIGURE OF DARUMA, EDO PERIOD Japan, Bizen kilns, 18th to mid-19th century. Heavily potted, standing with a slight forward bend, with hands clasped before the abdomen, holding the long mantle that envelops his body and falls in broad folds over the arms, leaving the chest exposed. His face bearing a sorrowful expression, characterized by deeply furrowed forehead lines, deeply hollowed eyes set beneath thick, bushy eyebrows, a broad nose, and a downturned mouth, flanked by elongated pierced ears. The surface entirely covered in a chocolate-brown glaze with black- and ochre-toned areas. Provenance: From The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection, Paris, France. Acquired between circa 1965-2012. Condition: Very good condition with only minor wear and firing-inherent irregularities. Occasional small nicks and a minor chip near the hands of the figure. Weight: 10.8 kg Dimensions: Height 50.7 cm Bodhidharma, known in Japan as Daruma, was a semi-legendary Buddhist monk who lived during the fifth or sixth century. Despite the lack of robust biographical information, early Chinese texts such as the ‘Luoyang Qielan Ji’ (Record of the Buddhist Temples of Luoyang), written around 547 by Yang Xuanzhi, recorded Bodhidharma as a monk who traveled from central Asia to China. Daoxuan described Bodhidharma in ‘Xu Gaoseng Zhuan’ (The Continuation of The Biographies of Eminent Monks), in the mid-seventh century, as a monk from southern India who arrived at the Kingdom of Nanyue during the Song period and then turned north to the Kingdom of Wei. According to legend, the sage once crossed the Yangtze River by riding reeds to transmit the Mahayana teachings to the north and it is also believed that he was so dedicated to attaining enlightenment that he cut off his own eyelids to prevent himself from falling asleep during meditation. Expert’s note: Daruma is conventionally represented with a stern visage, often frowning due to the austere conditions demanded by the rigorous discipline required for attaining enlightenment, yet simultaneously embodying determination and perseverance, serving as a model for all who pursue the same spiritual aim. By contrast, the present figure exhibits a highly uncommon expression of sorrow, almost dejected, with downcast eyes and a downturned mouth, seemingly conveying the misfortune of the monk as a result of the renunciations inherent to his spiritual path. Such an affect is exceedingly rare in Daruma iconography and, beyond its remarkable scale and material, accentuates the singular nature of this work. Literature comparison: Compare a related stoneware figure of Daruma, Bizen kilns, Edo period, 18th-19th century, 21 cm high, in the British Museum, registration number Franks.1127. Compare a related faience figure of Daruma, Kyoto kilns, Edo period, 19th century, 18.4 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 23.225.263.