Studio: international art (51.1911)

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

that it was merely a copy in miniature of the
human skull. They then examined it more care-
fully and minutely, when it was found to be true in
every detail, even the passage
from the ear to the nose
being distinctly shown with
all its curvature, as well as
the various bones, etc. They
marvelled how any human
hand could have produced
such an exact copy. One of
this master’s skulls received
the highest prize at the
second Industrial Exhibition
held in Tokyo. At this
period Gyokuzan was the
centre of influence among
younger aspirants in glyptic
art. However, when Taka-
mura Koun came into promi-
nence he appears to have
quietly retired, and went to
Kyoto, where he is still
living.

This master’s delicate and
minute work in ivory called
forth great admiration at the
St. Louis Exposition, where
he also obtained a high
reward. It was this artist
who first started to join up
ivory when making large
figures. His first production
of this kind was shown at
one of the Fine Arts Asso-
ciation’s exhibitions. The
figure, about nineteen inches
high, was that of a court
lady. Thus he was not only master in small
minute work, but in larger figures as well.

One of his latest works, and perhaps the best of
its kind to be found among Japanese art produc-
tions, is a box of paulowina wood (p. 116), a very
soft and light wood, exceedingly difficult to work
upon. The delicate work of the spider’s web is
produced by inlaid ivory, the dark leaves by
persimmon wood, and the flowers by shells of
natural colours. Metal and horn, too, have
been used to obtain the necessary shade and
effect. The exquisite and delicate workmanship
shown in this beautiful handbox makes it, in the
estimation of the Japanese, one of the best of
its kind ever produced.

Ishikawa Mitsuaki (Komei). When a young

man, this master was a miyabori, or one who carves
ornaments for the temples and shrines. When the
demand for these creations ceased he devoted his
skill and energies to carving
in ivory. He soon achieved
fame in this new line of
work, and hundreds have
received personal instruction
from him, a few of whom
have gained some distinc-
tion. Perhaps no one is so
responsible as he for creat-
ing such a wide market for
works in ivory. He has no
special subject, being what
one may term an all-round
artist. He works not only
in ivory, but in wood also.
A good specimen of his
carving in the latter material
is to be seen in the Imperial
Palace at Tokyo in the
ramma. Perhaps his art is
best seen, however, in his
relief work.

A wonderful production
of his is that of a child
catching a grasshopper,
carved in pieces of ivory
joined together.

Takenouchi Kiuichi (Kiu-
yen). This artist made a
study of Buddhist images,
especially those of the
Tempyo period. Upon this
subject he is an acknow-
ledged authority, unrivalled
in Japan. His speciality
naturally is in the carving of Buddhistic images
and deities. In carvings of coloured pieces he is
also particularly famous. He holds a professor-
ship at the Tokyo Fine Art School, and is con-
sidered an authority upon historical subjects. He

has a very strong dislike for the realistic tendency
of modern times. He maintains that in the carving
of a figure anatomy is not so essential as the spirit
of the thing. Indeed, he has carried this love of
the ideal so far that he fails to grasp the modern
tendency, which is a gradual step from idealism to
the natural. Among his works we may mention
the original figure of Nichiren, in wood, thirty
feet high. The figure is now at Hakata, and is
admired by many. He was the first to carve
figures in wood in such a gigantic size. The

wood carving: “seijya”

BY YOSHIDA HOMEI

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