The Zen Monk Ikkyu

This is an exceptional portrait of Ikkyu, an unconventional Zen monk. Originally a rough sketch, this work features a vivid portrayal of this famous monk. A man shoots a diagonal glance at the viewer. This is a portrait of Ikkyu Sojun, a Zen priest during the Muromachi period, which lasted from 1392 to 1573. Today, owing to anecdotes created after his time, Ikkyu is widely known in Japan as being an affable, quick-witted monk, but in fact, he was an unconventional man who fiercely criticized contemporary Zen Buddhism with his extreme speech and action. With his untamed hair, deep wrinkles and unkempt stubble, he looks quite dishevelled in this portrait.

It is thought this was originally just a rough sketch, with the details drawn without any embellishments to serve as a reference when painting the formal portrait. As such, this depiction is imbued with a vivid realness, as if Ikkyu is stood there right before us. The inscription above the portrait features Ikkyu's words written out by a disciple. These state that Ikkyu is the only person capable of speaking about Zen. Ikkyu's daring look in this portrait seems to reflect this bold declaration.

— Museum description: Tokyo National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.