Morikawa Toen

A sculptor from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period. A native of Nara, his childhood name was Tomokichi. He excelled in painting and sculpture from an early age, and was a master of Nara Ittobori, known for his Nara carved dolls. He showed innovation in his unique carving technique, which shows realism using a simple knife technique. He exhibited "Ranryo-o" and "Deer" at the first Domestic Industrial Exposition in 1877 (Meiji 10), and "Ryutouki" at the second in 1881, winning first prize for his work. He was skilled at creating animals, especially deer, and made a name for himself by exhibiting the large-scale work "Mae Osujika" at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893, at the ripe old age of 73. He also excelled in making copies of ancient sculptures, and in 1975 he made a copy of the door of the Yoshino Nyoirindo Hall, and in 1992 he made a copy of the Nine-Headed Kannon statue at Horyuji Temple. He was recognized by Machida Hisanari and was involved in making copies of the treasures of the Shosoin Repository. He continued to use his traditional carving techniques until just before his death, which was unusual for a local artist.

[Akio Sato]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸末期から明治の彫刻家。奈良の人。幼名友吉。幼少より絵画・彫刻に秀で、奈良彫り人形で知られる奈良一刀彫の名人。簡単な刀法で写実感を示す独特の彫技に新機軸を発揮した。1877年（明治10）第1回内国勧業博覧会に『蘭陵王(らんりょうおう)』『鹿(しか)』を、81年の第2回には『竜灯鬼』を出品して妙技一等賞を得た。動物、ことに鹿の制作に巧みで、93年のシカゴ万国博覧会には、73歳の老齢で『牝牡鹿(めすおすじか)』の大作を出品して気を吐いた。一面、古彫刻の模作にも長じ、75年には吉野如意輪(にょいりん)堂の扉を模造、92年には法隆寺九面観音(かんのん)像を模し、町田久成(ひさなり)に認められて正倉院宝物の模造にも従事、死の直前まで伝統的彫技を振るった。地方作家としては珍しい存在であった。

［佐藤昭夫］

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