Hotei by Fugai Ekun (1568-1654) Japan, Momoyama or Edo period, early 1600s Hanging scroll, ink on paper, 32 x 9 3/8 inches (81 x 24 cm) signed and one seal of the artist, upper left By exchange and Asian Art Department Acquisition Fund 1970.13

Monochrome ink painting developed in Japan when Zen Buddhism was introduced from China. Rather than depicting images of the Buddha or scenes from his life, the figure paintings of the Zen masters often portrayed eccentric personalities such as the big-bellied monk Hotei, the subject of numerous popular legends. Fugai was a Zen priest and artist who lived much like Hotei, wandering the countryside, befriending children, and eschewing official responsibilities.


To Japan