Shōwa-period Ittōbori Carved Wood Daruma Figure, Japan
A handmade wooden Daruma figure from Japan's Shōwa period, carved using the traditional Japanese ittōbori (single-knife carving) technique. Made from natural wood, it keeps the warm grain and aged colour of the wood itself; the craftsman's skilled knife-work renders Daruma's piercing eyes, his resolute and composed expression, and forceful facial features. Daruma derives from Bodhidharma, founder of Zen Buddhism, and in Japanese culture is regarded as a symbol of perseverance, determination, success and the fulfilment of wishes. Since the Edo period, Daruma has become one of the most representative good-luck charms in Japanese folk culture, widely associated with wishes for prosperous business, passing exams, career success and achieving life goals. This is not an ordinary mass-produced craft item but was carved cut by cut using traditional woodcarving techniques; from the eyes and bridge of the nose to the lines of the mouth, it is full of the craftsman's warmth, displaying a strong Shōwa-period folk-craft style and the character of Japanese woodcarving.
