Daruma

Daruma is the Japanese name for the Bodhidharma, the 5th/6th century founder of Zen Buddhism. Daruma dolls, traditionally made of papier-mâché, are modeled after this figure, and are typically painted red and feature a frowning, heavily mustachioed Daruma face. While they are considered toys, Daruma dolls are strong symbols of perseverance and good luck, and are often given as a gift of encouragement. The eyes of a Daruma doll are typically blank when sold, and the recipient colors in the first eye when he or she sets a goal. The second eye is filled in when the goal is achieved, so that the one-eyed Daruma becomes a reminder and motivator to accomplish what one has set out to do.

Name	Description	Object ID
Wind-Up Daruma	This battery-operated plastic Daruma is covered in red felt. Its arms, legs and face are molded in peach-colored plastic, and it wears red sandals on feet. The Daruma holds a plastic sensu (folding fan) in his right hand and holds a synthetic cloth banner in left hand. The fan has a...	2010.15.1
Teen Tokyo Daruma	This traditional papier-mâché Daruma doll was purchased at the start of the Teen Tokyo exhibition process. One eye was filled in at that point, according to Daruma doll custom: the blank second eye serves as a reminder to persevere and complete a goal or task. The second eye was filled...	2014.XX.10
Daruma	This Daruma doll is made out of papier-mâché. It features the traditional pink face, black mustache and eyebrows, and gold markings on the red background. On the front center of the doll the kanji character "fuku" ("good fortune") is painted in gold. This doll was purchased at...	AB 82-12
Daruma Otoshi	This Daruma Otoshi game is from Miyagi Prefecture in Japan. The game consists of a Daruma doll made of five cylindrical doughnut-shaped blocks, each a different color (red, yellow, green, purple, and unpainted) that make up the body and a painted headpiece on top. The blocks are held...	AB 83-5
Daruma Game	This Daruma game consists of a wooden ladder and a cylindrical Daruma doll (also made of wood). The ladder is stained dark and stands on a base, and has a hinged section to extend its heigh. The Daruma has two holes, just off center, with v-shaped slots open to each end of the cylinder. A...	AB 83-7
Sankaku Daruma	This pair of "Sankaku Daruma (triangle Daruma)" dolls featurs an orange and a blue conical-shaped variation on the traditional Daruma doll. Each Daruma doll has a pink face painted on the front, with white eyes, an orange upside-down U-shaped mouth, and simplified black lines to...	AB 85-43 and AB 85-44
Daruma	This papier-mâché figurine features a cow with a Daruma doll riding on its back. The cow is painted black with a white nose, belly, and legs. It has blue eyes, yellow horns, and a blue saddle with a red border and five white spots on each side. The cow is a bobblehead. The Daruma is painted in...	AB 85-46
Hime Daruma	This Daruma doll is the Hime Daruma, or Princess Daruma. Made of papier-mâché, it is painted red with a gold diamond over the forehead and a white and green floral design painted on both sides and under the face. These plants are bamboo, plum blossoms, and pine, used for ceremonies...	AB 85-54
Daruma Puzzle	This puzzle forms a variation on the Daruma doll when completed. The puzzle is natural wood color with the traditional angry Daruma face painted in black and red, featuring a thick black beard, eyebrows, markings under the eyes, and pupils. Thinner black strokes are used for the eyes, nose, and...	AB 87-6
Miniature Daruma Set	This set of three miniature Daruma dolls are each about 1/2" x 1/2". They are painted red with pink faces, three black lines on either side of the face to represent facial hair and eyebrows, and six gold stripes on the front center. They each are wearing white tenugui (scarves) with...	AB 88-12 a-c
Hime Daruma	This purple papier-mâché Hime Daruma (Princess Daruma) doll is made in the Mingei (folk art) style by an artist named Matsumoto. The doll features white five-petaled flowers outlined in red and green and with yellow centers with five black streaks pointed upwards from the...	AB 88-6
Nesting Daruma	This Daruma doll is a wooden nesting doll consisting of four dolls in seven pieces. The largest Daruma is painted red with a natural wood-colored face. It has a beard and red mouth, a nose, scowling blue eyes, wrinkles and crows' feet, and red dot embellishments. A black arch is painted under...	AB 88-9

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