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#0145
Japanese Art and Artists of To-day.—IV. Wood and Ivory Carving
work. Then his clay model of An Archer (p. 114) A few of the more prominent sculptors in clay
shows strength. Here we have a priest of the Zen may now be noted :—
sect. His Fencer, in wood (p. ri2), is a par- Numata Ichiga, one of the foremost among these
ticularly fine piece of work, showing the readiness workers in clay, showed genius as an artist when
of the soldier to take his place in the fray, every quite a boy. He is the son of a potter of Osaka,
limb appearing ready for instant action. He turned out elephants so ingeniously and so
We should also mention Kaneda Kinjiro, different from what the people were accustomed to
whose work is represented in our illustrations by see in Japan that they passed for imported articles
A Street Musician singing with a Samisen (p. 108) in Tokyo. Unno Bisei, the famous artist in metal,
and An Old Man Smoking {-p. 112), both of which now in London, discovered his genius and placed
are in ivory. him in Takenouchi Kiuyen's studio. Shortly after
Murata Kichigoro's skill is also shown in the this Ichiga became a teacher in the Tokyo Fine
illustration of A Wood-Cutter lighting his pipe Art School, and was sent to France to study for
{p. 113) three years at Sebre, where he achieved marvels
Japan, curiously enough, perhaps, has only one and was decorated for his artistic merit. He makes
woman artist-carver of note, namely, Miss Ogura a speciality of animal and busts, although capable of
Masako, who works in ivory. She is now turning excellent work in diverse subjects. He is now a
out some excellent pieces, one of which is repro- Professor of Carving at the Tokyo Fine Art School,
duced here (p. 113). It is a
figure of a woman and is en-
titled A Beauty. The woman
is shown with an artificial
flower in one hand and a
bamboo branch, from which
hang a number of toys, in the
other. The subject suggests
the return from the Daishi
Festival. The work shows
graceful lines and soft finish.
Miss Ogura carves nothing
but women and children.
Among sculptors in clay we
find many men of note and
promise. The Western
method of first making a
model in clay before, execut-
ing it in wood or other
material, introduced by the
Italian sculptor Ragura when
he went to teach at the Kobu
Daigaku, in Tokyo, has been
adopted by many of our pro-
gressive sculptors. We have
already seen that Takamura
Koun and his distinguished
followers are all resorting to
this method, though there are
some who still cling to the old
style. However, it must be
admitted that a great deal of
trouble is done away with by
the new mode. Formerly
they used to carve in wood
without a preliminary model. wood carving: "boys at play" by yamazaki choun
"5
work. Then his clay model of An Archer (p. 114) A few of the more prominent sculptors in clay
shows strength. Here we have a priest of the Zen may now be noted :—
sect. His Fencer, in wood (p. ri2), is a par- Numata Ichiga, one of the foremost among these
ticularly fine piece of work, showing the readiness workers in clay, showed genius as an artist when
of the soldier to take his place in the fray, every quite a boy. He is the son of a potter of Osaka,
limb appearing ready for instant action. He turned out elephants so ingeniously and so
We should also mention Kaneda Kinjiro, different from what the people were accustomed to
whose work is represented in our illustrations by see in Japan that they passed for imported articles
A Street Musician singing with a Samisen (p. 108) in Tokyo. Unno Bisei, the famous artist in metal,
and An Old Man Smoking {-p. 112), both of which now in London, discovered his genius and placed
are in ivory. him in Takenouchi Kiuyen's studio. Shortly after
Murata Kichigoro's skill is also shown in the this Ichiga became a teacher in the Tokyo Fine
illustration of A Wood-Cutter lighting his pipe Art School, and was sent to France to study for
{p. 113) three years at Sebre, where he achieved marvels
Japan, curiously enough, perhaps, has only one and was decorated for his artistic merit. He makes
woman artist-carver of note, namely, Miss Ogura a speciality of animal and busts, although capable of
Masako, who works in ivory. She is now turning excellent work in diverse subjects. He is now a
out some excellent pieces, one of which is repro- Professor of Carving at the Tokyo Fine Art School,
duced here (p. 113). It is a
figure of a woman and is en-
titled A Beauty. The woman
is shown with an artificial
flower in one hand and a
bamboo branch, from which
hang a number of toys, in the
other. The subject suggests
the return from the Daishi
Festival. The work shows
graceful lines and soft finish.
Miss Ogura carves nothing
but women and children.
Among sculptors in clay we
find many men of note and
promise. The Western
method of first making a
model in clay before, execut-
ing it in wood or other
material, introduced by the
Italian sculptor Ragura when
he went to teach at the Kobu
Daigaku, in Tokyo, has been
adopted by many of our pro-
gressive sculptors. We have
already seen that Takamura
Koun and his distinguished
followers are all resorting to
this method, though there are
some who still cling to the old
style. However, it must be
admitted that a great deal of
trouble is done away with by
the new mode. Formerly
they used to carve in wood
without a preliminary model. wood carving: "boys at play" by yamazaki choun
"5