Zen painting by Nakahara Nantenbo (1839-1925)
Suiboku-ga ink painting on paper, mounted as a hanging scroll.
"Daruma and a poem"
Size of scroll:  43.8 cm X 189 cm
Size of painting: 32.8 cm X 136 cm
Artist's seals and signatures 
 
Poem translation:
"One flower opens its fine petals
and it naturally grows into a fine fruit like that,
if we open our spiritual flowers,
They naturally grow into enlightenment"
 
Nakahara Nantenbo
A son of a samurai family of Hizen Province.  As a young man, he entered the Yuko-ji temple of the Rinzai sect of Zen, and later studied under the Zen master Sekio of the Enpuku-ji temple in Kyoto.  In later years, when he succeeded the priest Razan of the Bairin-ji temple in Kurume, Kyushu, he did not advance into an administrative position, but rather wandered the country, visiting various temples.  Keen in intellect, he was also known for his charity and became one of the most famous figures of the modern Rinzai sect.  The Meiji period General Nogi is known to have practiced Zazen under his guidance.