International studio (42.1910)

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

L^There are several sculptors who are ____-

now famous and once learned from the______ .

Italian master Ragura. Among them we ' IW^^^^Mga^^^Hj
find Okuma Ujihiro, who \v;is first known ''■^$2k&3BS$3m
as a Japanese sculptor in the European

style. The bronze statue of Omura, stand- Imfff^^^^^^^^B
ing on the heights of Kudan Hill, with a 1<M;
field-glass in hand, is the first large statue
of its kind to be erected in Japan by
this artist. The bronze statue of Prince
Arisugawa, erected in front of the War
Office, is another of his creations deserv-
ing of special mention. Kikuchi Cfmtaro,

Kondo, Fujita Bunjird, and Ogura Sojiro mfctMaMPMMaEjll^t^^^ '^^B

are also among those who learned at n
Kobu Daigaku under Ragura, and of ^ ~^^^^HHHB^^

these the last-mentioned deserves special

1 wood-box, carved, with ivory and shell ornamentation

mention. by asahi gyokuzan

Ogura Sojiro was, perhaps, the brightest
pupil of the Italian sculptor, and he has done wood-carver, but now is capable of working in
most in spreading the use of clay among the any material he cares to select, though making a
Japanese sculptors. Perhaps Ogura Sojiro is the speciality of marble carving. The great ambition
only one worthy of mention among sculptors in of his life, he declares, is to make a bust of all
marble in Japan. His marble statue of a woman, the great men of modern Japan before he dies,
carved out of the material discovered near Mito, He chiselled the bronze statue of Prince Ito at
received much comment. Originally he was a Kobe, and that of Count Okuma at Waseda,

unveiled two years ago, as well
as the equestrian statue of the
Crown Prince. He is exceed-
ingly conscientious in his work.
He has never been willing to
turn out from his workshop any-
thing that he is personally not
satisfied with. Even when a
statue is satisfactory to the client
he will, if he himself is not
satisfied, continue working upon
it regardless of his labour. Even
when he is ill he insists upon
going to his studio, once a day,
and, if unable to do anything,
he appears to derive satisfaction
by gazing upon his unfinished
work. By many he is considered
the modern " Hidari" Jingoro—
a famous master of carving.

Here it may be mentioned
that the use of stone for Budd-
histic idols commenced in the
reign of Bidatsu, when (585 a.d.)
two envoys sent to Korea brought
back a stone effigy of the Budd-
histic deity, Miroku. However,
carved wood jeweilery Box by shimoda kisaburo mainly because the quality of

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