<b>THE DARUMA BRANCH</b> / Helen Hyde1910$800</em>

Details

This delightful design features a young child whose hair has yet to fill-in carrying a large branch filled with Daruma ornaments. Daruma is the Japanese name given to Bodhidharma, the famous, if semi-mythical, Buddhist monk and founder of Zen. According to one popular account, the monk sat in meditation so long that all his limbs fell off.

In Japan, Daruma dolls and ornaments are made for good luck talismans. These dolls humorously depict the founder of Zen without appendages and in rotund forms. Hyde shows this small child wearing thick clothing, which appears almost too heavy for their small stature, all the while holding a large arching branch nearly twice its size. The design is charming, humorous, and playful. Perhaps Hyde suggests that like Daruma, who cannot be pushed to the ground, the doll-like child is more resilient than the eyes suggest.

Connoisseur's Note

This early Hyde print is executed on her typical thin, tissue-like paper. The work is in excellent condition exhibiting fresh and vivid colors. The print is signed in pencil at the lower right in the design. This piece is accompanied by an original kyôgô-zuri, keyblock trial proof, dated and titled in the artist’s hand at the bottom. Keyblock trial proofs are exceedingly rare and make this set highly desirable by collectors.