The hunched figure of the Daruma, wrapped in robes and seated staring in contemplation at the four lines of calligraphy by 17th century Zen priest Kosetsu mounted as a hanging scroll. Ink on paper in an Edo period mounting of patterned green silk extended with beige silk and featuring ivory rollers. It is 58 x 113 cm (23 x 44-1/2 inches) and is still quite presentable, with some discoloration and stains on the original paper typical of age. It comes enclosed in a custom period kiri-wood box titled Daitokuji Kosetsu-ga fuku.
Kosetsu Soryu (1595-1666) was a priest of the Rinzai Sect of Buddhism born in Izumi, Osaka, who studied under Takuan Soho and Kogetsu Sogan. He was appointed the 181st head of Daitokuji in 1644. In 1648 he would move to develop the temple Koshinji in the castle town of Akidzuki in Chikuzen (modern day Fukuoka) for the powerful Kuroda Daimyo family. This piece is signed Zen Ryuho Kosetsu (Ryuho is the Mountain name of Daitokuji) indicating this was painted after he left that temple.
