A striking vintage Japanese shikishi-format woodblock print (木版画) depicting Bodhidharma (達磨 / Daruma) by Mori Tenka (森天赤, 1918–2005), created for the Year of the Dragon (辰) in 2000.
The composition is bold and highly graphic. Bodhidharma’s face emerges from strong black carved forms against an intense turquoise ground, surrounded by vivid yellow, orange, and red.
The inscription 「平成十二年」 dates the work to Heisei 12 (2000), and the large 辰 refers to the zodiac Dragon year. The number 2000 is incorporated directly into the design, making this a particularly distinctive millennium-era commemorative piece.
Mori Tenka (1918–2005) was born in Takahata, Fukumitsu-cho, now part of Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture. After graduating from a young teachers’ training school, he worked as a teacher for many years. He later studied Zen-style Bodhidharma painting at Kogon-ji Temple, developing a distinctive approach to Daruma imagery and becoming especially skilled in this subject.
In addition to his artistic activities, Mori Tenka presided over the Shin Educational and Cultural Research Institute, where he devoted himself to education and the development of younger generations. He passed away in 2005 at the age of 87.
