“Nantenbō has used up heaven and earth! Respectfully brushed by the Monk Deiryū.”¹

Deiryū was Nantenbō’s principal disciple, and his respect for his teacher is made clear by the numerous portraits he painted of Nantenbō, which, like this example, emulate images of Daruma in their compo­sition. The variation between the abbreviated gestural strokes composing his body and the softer, more detailed ink washes used in his face is also character­istic of Hakuin’s paintings of the patriarch. Deiryū’s inscription is both a comical lament and a declaration of reverence, expressing the challenge and honor of inheriting the mantle of his renowned master.

—Bradley Bailey