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[[Image:Takamura-Koun-Monkey.jpg|right|thumb|400px|"Aged Monkey," a wooden sculpture originally exhibited at the [[World's Columbian Exposition]]. 1893. [[Important Cultural Property]]. [[Tokyo National Museum]].]]
[[Image:Saigo.JPG|right|thumb|300px|Statue of [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]] by Takamura Kôun in [[Ueno Park]].]]
*''Born: [[1852]]/2/18''
*''Died: 1934/10/10''
*''Other Names'': 中島光蔵 ''(Nakajima Mitsuzou)''
*''Japanese'': 高村光雲 ''(Takamura Kou'un)''
Takamura Kôun was a prominent sculptor of the [[Meiji period|Meiji]] and Taishô periods, and father of sculptor & poet [[Takamura Kotaro|Takamura Kôtarô]]. He has been described as the "father of modern Japanese wood sculpture."
Kôun was born in the Shitaya neighborhood of [[Edo]]; his name was originally Nakajima Mitsuzô. He began studying under Takamura Tôun in [[1863]], and was officially adopted by Tôun's older sister, taking the Takamura name. He continued sculpting in wood through the [[Meiji Restoration]], and began working for the ''[[Tokyo Bijutsu Gakko|Tokyo Bijutsu Gakkô]]'' (Tokyo School of Fine Arts) when it opened in [[1889]]. Kôun became an instructor at the school the following year.
Though initially trained in more traditional modes of wood sculpture, he began, particularly in the 1890s-1900s, to incorporate Western approaches and aesthetics of realism into his wooden sculptures. He also ventured into sculpting in bronze. While there had been a tradition of bronze sculpture in Japan going back over 1000 years, producing sculptures in the Western style and mode was rather cutting-edge in Japan at the time. Over the course of the next several decades, Kôun's works were shown at numerous [[World's Fairs|international]] and [[domestic expositions]], where he frequently earned high awards. From [[1907]] onwards, he regularly served as a judge in the official government-sponsored exhibitions.
Kôun's most famous works include "Aged Monkey," a wooden sculpture held at the [[Tokyo National Museum]]; a standing statue of [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]] in [[Ueno Park]]; and a mounted statue of [[Kusunoki Masashige]] in the outer gardens of the [[Tokyo Imperial Palace]].
His many students included his son Takamura Kôtarô, Yamazaki Chôun, Yonahara Unkai, and Hirakushi Denchû.
==References==
*"[http://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%AB%98%E6%9D%91%E5%85%89%E9%9B%B2 Takamura Kôun]." ''Asahi Nihon rekishi jinbutsu jiten'' 朝日日本歴史人物事典. Asahi Shimbun-sha.
==External Links==
*[http://www.tnm.jp/modules/r_collection/index.php?controller=dtl&colid=C232 "Aged Monkey" at Tokyo National Museum official website.]
[[Category:Meiji Period]]
[[Category:Artists and Artisans]]
[[Image:Saigo.JPG|right|thumb|300px|Statue of [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]] by Takamura Kôun in [[Ueno Park]].]]
*''Born: [[1852]]/2/18''
*''Died: 1934/10/10''
*''Other Names'': 中島光蔵 ''(Nakajima Mitsuzou)''
*''Japanese'': 高村光雲 ''(Takamura Kou'un)''
Takamura Kôun was a prominent sculptor of the [[Meiji period|Meiji]] and Taishô periods, and father of sculptor & poet [[Takamura Kotaro|Takamura Kôtarô]]. He has been described as the "father of modern Japanese wood sculpture."
Kôun was born in the Shitaya neighborhood of [[Edo]]; his name was originally Nakajima Mitsuzô. He began studying under Takamura Tôun in [[1863]], and was officially adopted by Tôun's older sister, taking the Takamura name. He continued sculpting in wood through the [[Meiji Restoration]], and began working for the ''[[Tokyo Bijutsu Gakko|Tokyo Bijutsu Gakkô]]'' (Tokyo School of Fine Arts) when it opened in [[1889]]. Kôun became an instructor at the school the following year.
Though initially trained in more traditional modes of wood sculpture, he began, particularly in the 1890s-1900s, to incorporate Western approaches and aesthetics of realism into his wooden sculptures. He also ventured into sculpting in bronze. While there had been a tradition of bronze sculpture in Japan going back over 1000 years, producing sculptures in the Western style and mode was rather cutting-edge in Japan at the time. Over the course of the next several decades, Kôun's works were shown at numerous [[World's Fairs|international]] and [[domestic expositions]], where he frequently earned high awards. From [[1907]] onwards, he regularly served as a judge in the official government-sponsored exhibitions.
Kôun's most famous works include "Aged Monkey," a wooden sculpture held at the [[Tokyo National Museum]]; a standing statue of [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]] in [[Ueno Park]]; and a mounted statue of [[Kusunoki Masashige]] in the outer gardens of the [[Tokyo Imperial Palace]].
His many students included his son Takamura Kôtarô, Yamazaki Chôun, Yonahara Unkai, and Hirakushi Denchû.
==References==
*"[http://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%AB%98%E6%9D%91%E5%85%89%E9%9B%B2 Takamura Kôun]." ''Asahi Nihon rekishi jinbutsu jiten'' 朝日日本歴史人物事典. Asahi Shimbun-sha.
==External Links==
*[http://www.tnm.jp/modules/r_collection/index.php?controller=dtl&colid=C232 "Aged Monkey" at Tokyo National Museum official website.]
[[Category:Meiji Period]]
[[Category:Artists and Artisans]]