Hotei, late 1400s. Creator: Jonan Etetsu (Japanese, 1444-1507)
Wall Art and Photo Gifts from Heritage Images
Hotei, late 1400s. Creator: Jonan Etetsu (Japanese, 1444-1507)
Hotei, late 1400s. The Zen monk Jonan Etetsu is recorded as the 183rd abbot of To fuku-ji temple in the eastern hills of Kyoto, one of the earliest and most influential Zen institutions in medieval Japan. Otherwise, the only biographical information known to date has been gleaned from a few inscriptions on paintings documenting his friendship with another eminent monk, Ryo an Keigo (1425-1514), and two paintings bearing Jonans own poetic inscriptions. This image of Hotei (Chinese: Budai), a legendary, 10th-century Chan (Zen) monk, is one of those paintings. In Japan the image of the mirthful, pot-bellied Hotei enjoyed great popularity from the 14th century onward. Zen literature and popular folklore merged to create a storehouse of attractive fiction concerning this delightful characters worldly adventures as a kind of itinerant Santa Claus and more symbolically as the future Buddha, Miroku, in disguise. For the Japanese, Hotei came to represent an unfettered path to spiritual enlightenment. The identity of the artist of this painting is unknown, although it may have been Etetsu, who attained a high rank within the 15th-century Zen community
Media ID 19628851
© Heritage Art/Heritage Images
1392 1573 Hanging Scroll Ink On Paper Muromachi Period
MADE IN THE UK
Safe Shipping with 30 Day Money Back Guarantee
FREE PERSONALISATION*
We are proud to offer a range of customisation features including Personalised Captions, Color Filters and Picture Zoom Tools
SECURE PAYMENTS
We happily accept a wide range of payment options so you can pay for the things you need in the way that is most convenient for you
* Options may vary by product and licensing agreement. Zoomed Pictures can be adjusted in the Basket.
