DOI issue:
Nr. 166 (December, 1910)
DOI article:Harada, Jirō: Japanese art and artists of to-day, 4, Wood and ivory carving
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19869#0139
Japanese Art and Artists of To
" SUGAWARA MICHIZANE"
CARVED IN WOOD BY YONEHARA UNKAI
expressive of force and strength. He has created
a style of his own, known as the Takamura style,
which places great importance upon the undis-
guised touch of the chisel, technical force and
directness. Among his numerous works that which
may be regarded as his masterpiece is a large
monkey, ten feet high, now in the Nara Museum at
the Todaiji. The creature is shown in an alert
position, grasping a few feathers of an eagle in one
hand, its upturned face, full of surprised expres-
sion, looking skyward. It is full of suggestiveness
apart from its merits as a work of art. The
observer quickly recognises that the monkey has
just missed its prey and that the eagle has had
a narrow escape.
Koun is now a court artist, and appears to have
retired from the active arena, devoting his time to
teaching at the Tokyo Fine Art School, being a
head professor there. Of the numerous able artists
in the glyptic world who have learned from him
may be mentioned Yamazaki Choun and Yonehara
Unkai, both of whom will undoubtedly hold most
prominent places in the future.
y.—IV. Wood and Ivory Carving
Asahi Gyokuzan. There are a great number of
connoisseurs in Japan who place Gyokuzan before
Koun, declaring his work to be of a higher excel-
lence. It cannot be denied that present carvers in
Japan owe a great deal to Gyokuzan, who is now
living a kind of retired life in Kyoto, having left
Tokyo some years ago. It was he who organised
the Glyptic Association in Tokyo some twenty
years ago. He was originally an ivory carver, and
became famous for his carvings of skulls. With
what minute care and patience Gyokuzan woiked
upon these creations is evidenced from the follow-
ing story told concerning one of these skulls. It
appears that Dr. Matsumato Jun, in Japan, sent one
to a physician in Germany. The latter was so
completely deceived that he took it to a Japanese
friend and asked him what kind of animal it was
in Japan that possessed a skull identical with that
of the human being. The Japanese doctor quickly
enlightened the German physician and pointed out
"KANDANJl" (CHINESE HERMIT POET)
CARVED IN WOOD BY YONEHARA UNKAI
IO9
" SUGAWARA MICHIZANE"
CARVED IN WOOD BY YONEHARA UNKAI
expressive of force and strength. He has created
a style of his own, known as the Takamura style,
which places great importance upon the undis-
guised touch of the chisel, technical force and
directness. Among his numerous works that which
may be regarded as his masterpiece is a large
monkey, ten feet high, now in the Nara Museum at
the Todaiji. The creature is shown in an alert
position, grasping a few feathers of an eagle in one
hand, its upturned face, full of surprised expres-
sion, looking skyward. It is full of suggestiveness
apart from its merits as a work of art. The
observer quickly recognises that the monkey has
just missed its prey and that the eagle has had
a narrow escape.
Koun is now a court artist, and appears to have
retired from the active arena, devoting his time to
teaching at the Tokyo Fine Art School, being a
head professor there. Of the numerous able artists
in the glyptic world who have learned from him
may be mentioned Yamazaki Choun and Yonehara
Unkai, both of whom will undoubtedly hold most
prominent places in the future.
y.—IV. Wood and Ivory Carving
Asahi Gyokuzan. There are a great number of
connoisseurs in Japan who place Gyokuzan before
Koun, declaring his work to be of a higher excel-
lence. It cannot be denied that present carvers in
Japan owe a great deal to Gyokuzan, who is now
living a kind of retired life in Kyoto, having left
Tokyo some years ago. It was he who organised
the Glyptic Association in Tokyo some twenty
years ago. He was originally an ivory carver, and
became famous for his carvings of skulls. With
what minute care and patience Gyokuzan woiked
upon these creations is evidenced from the follow-
ing story told concerning one of these skulls. It
appears that Dr. Matsumato Jun, in Japan, sent one
to a physician in Germany. The latter was so
completely deceived that he took it to a Japanese
friend and asked him what kind of animal it was
in Japan that possessed a skull identical with that
of the human being. The Japanese doctor quickly
enlightened the German physician and pointed out
"KANDANJl" (CHINESE HERMIT POET)
CARVED IN WOOD BY YONEHARA UNKAI
IO9