International studio (42.1910)

Japanese Art and Artists of To-day.—IV. Wood and Ivory Carving

that it was merely a copy in miniature of the man, this master was a miyabori, or one who carves
human skull. They then examined it more care- ornaments for the temples and shrines. When the
fully and minutely, when it was found to be true in demand for these creations ceased he devoted his

every detail, even the passage skill and energies to carving

from the ear to the nose in ivory. He soon achieved

being distinctly shown with fame in this new line of

all its curvature, as well as work, and hundreds have

the various bones, etc. They received personal instruction

marvelled how any human from him, a few of whom

hand could have produced :., have gained some distinc-

such an exact copy. One of M$jm t'on' Perhaps no one is so

this master's skulls received ^fisSk responsible as he for creat-

the highest prize at the ^BElw ' \ ing such a wide market for

second Industrial Exhibition flfitH j Jjk< works in ivory. He has no

held in Tokyo. At this ( V^F^ special subject, being what

period Gyokuzan was the one may term an all-round

centre of influence among K wij& artist. He works not only

younger aspirants in glyptic in ivory, but in wood also,

art. However, when Taka- f:& A good specimen of his

mura Koun came into promi- , i; carving in the latter material

nence he appears to have '^flk W\ it is to be seen in the Imperial

quietly retired, and went to iftsii ^■li^ Palace at Tokyo in the

Kyoto, where he is still ramma. Perhaps his art is

living. best seen, however, in his

This master's delicate and relief work,

minute work in ivory called A wonderful production

forth great admiration at the H of his is that of a child

St. Louis Exposition, where ) fg catching a grasshopper,

he also obtained a high I 7- ^9? , carved in pieces of ivory

reward. It was this artist jpt 'I joined together,

who first started to join up mjjfei Takenouchi Kiuichi (Kiu-

ivory when making large ^BBBSk,'' 'jL- yen). This artist made a

figures. His first production study of Buddhist images,

of this kind was shown at especially those of the

one of the Fine Arts Asso- ""•-' " Tempyo period. Upon this

ciation's exhibitions. The wood carving • "seitya" subject he is an acknow-

figure, about nineteen inches by yoshida homei ledged authority, unrivalled

high, was that of a court in Japan. His speciality

lady. Thus he was not only master in small naturally is in the carving of Buddhistic images

minute work, but in larger figures as well. and deities. In carvings of coloured pieces he is

One of his latest works, and perhaps the best of also particularly famous. He holds a professor-
its kind to be found among Japanese art produc- ship at the Tokyo Fine Art School, and is con-
tions, is a box of paulowina wood (p. 116), a very sidered an authority upon historical subjects. He
soft and light wood, exceedingly difficult to work has a very strong dislike for the realistic tendency
upon. The delicate work of the spider's web is of modern times. He maintains that in the carving
produced by inlaid ivory, the dark leaves by of a figure anatomy is not so essential as the spirit
persimmon wood, and the flowers by shells of of the thing. Indeed, he has carried this love of
natural colours. Metal and horn, too, have the ideal so far that he fails to grasp the modern
been used to obtain the necessary shade and tendency, which is a gradual step from idealism to
effect. The exquisite and delicate workmanship the natural. Among his works we may mention
shown in this beautiful handbox makes it, in the the original figure of Nichiren, in wood, thirty
estimation of the Japanese, one of the best of feet high. The figure is now at Hakata, and is
its kind ever produced. ' admired by many. He was the first to carve

Ishikawa Mitsuaki (Komei). When a young figures in wood in such a gigantic size. The