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Hakuin Ekaku
In 2006, BAM/PFA honored recently retired Adjunct Curator for Asian Art Sheila Keppel with the acquisition of a delightful painting by the famous Japanese monk Hakuin Ekaku (1685–1768), Hotei in a Boat.
One of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune in Japanese popular legend, Hotei is commonly depicted as a cheerful, large-bellied monk who carries a sack full of good things to distribute to everyone he meets. In a Zen milieu, he is often associated with Maitreya, the Buddha of the future. In Hotei in a Boat, Hakuin charmingly depicts the smiling figure of Hotei popping out from his big round bag, as if the god were one more treasure emerging from its bottomless depths. Hakuin has been one of the major figures in Japanese Zen Buddhism over the last three centuries, having revitalized the Rinzai sect and revived the use of koans (riddle-like catalysts for thought, such as Hakuin's own "the sound of one hand clapping") in Zen practice. A deft and prolific painter, Hakuin used his painting and calligraphy both as a personal, ritual activity and as currency, presenting numerous paintings as gifts to donors and potential patrons. Hotei was a favorite subject for Hakuin, the deity's happy generosity equated with the joyful spreading of Buddhist teachings.
Lynne Kimura
Academic Liaison
