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The 200th Anniversary of His Birth - Toen Morikawa
Nara Prefectural Museum of Art
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Toen Morikawa
Toen Morikawa (1820-1894) was a sculptor in Nara who was active in the period of change from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period, focusing on the production of Nara dolls (Itto-bori carving). His outstanding technique and richness of form have been highly evaluated by later sculptors such as Kyuichi Takeuchi and Denchu Hiragushi as proof of his superior artistry beyond the realm of mere craftsmanship.
Toen Morikawa Toen (childhood name Tomokichi) was born in 1820 in present-day Nara City, Nara Prefecture, and studied painting from the age of thirteen under Kibuchi Naito, who was the deputy of Kofukuji Temple’s Konan-in Temple and known for his Shijo School style of painting.
At the same time, at the suggestion of the lacquer artist and painter Shibata Zeshin, he began making Nara Ningyo (Itto-bori carving) dolls. Nara Ningyo is a traditional craft of Nara that is said to have its origins in the decoration of Hanagasa (flower hats) and Shimadai (island platforms) used in the rituals of Kasuga Wakamiya, a branch of Kasuga Taisha Shrine. While learning from the works of Okano Shoju, who had continued the tradition since the Genroku period, Toen elevated them to the realm of art with his gorgeous style characterized by rich expressions based on sketches and extreme colors.
At the end of the Edo period, he produced unique deer carvings and Nara dolls based on Noh plays and Kyogen plays under the titles of “Kasuga Wakamiya Oshukusho Shinzen-eji” and “Kasuga Yushoku Nara Ningyoji”. He was involved in the government’s activities for the protection of antique objects (cultural properties) and the Nara Exposition Company, which aimed to promote Nara Prefecture, and worked on copying and reproducing the Shosoin treasures and other famous treasures in the prefecture. These later works, in which Duen demonstrated his mastery, won many awards at the National Industrial Exhibition (1st, 2nd, and 3rd exhibitions) and the Chicago World’s Fair, and left a definite mark on the history of Japanese sculpture.
In this way, Duen is regarded as the founder of the Nara Ningyo (Itto-bori carving) movement, and at the same time, he is being reevaluated in recent years as a pioneer of modern Japanese sculpture. This exhibition, commemorating the bicentennial of Duen’s birth, aims to introduce the entirety of Duen’s art and provide an opportunity to reexamine its significance and characteristics. For this exhibition, the National Museum will borrow representative works by Morikawa Toen from its collection under the “FY2021 National Museum Loan Promotion Program”.
First half: September 23 - October 17, Second half: October 19 - November 14
Toen Morikawa Toen (childhood name Tomokichi) was born in 1820 in present-day Nara City, Nara Prefecture, and studied painting from the age of thirteen under Kibuchi Naito, who was the deputy of Kofukuji Temple’s Konan-in Temple and known for his Shijo School style of painting.
At the same time, at the suggestion of the lacquer artist and painter Shibata Zeshin, he began making Nara Ningyo (Itto-bori carving) dolls. Nara Ningyo is a traditional craft of Nara that is said to have its origins in the decoration of Hanagasa (flower hats) and Shimadai (island platforms) used in the rituals of Kasuga Wakamiya, a branch of Kasuga Taisha Shrine. While learning from the works of Okano Shoju, who had continued the tradition since the Genroku period, Toen elevated them to the realm of art with his gorgeous style characterized by rich expressions based on sketches and extreme colors.
At the end of the Edo period, he produced unique deer carvings and Nara dolls based on Noh plays and Kyogen plays under the titles of “Kasuga Wakamiya Oshukusho Shinzen-eji” and “Kasuga Yushoku Nara Ningyoji”. He was involved in the government’s activities for the protection of antique objects (cultural properties) and the Nara Exposition Company, which aimed to promote Nara Prefecture, and worked on copying and reproducing the Shosoin treasures and other famous treasures in the prefecture. These later works, in which Duen demonstrated his mastery, won many awards at the National Industrial Exhibition (1st, 2nd, and 3rd exhibitions) and the Chicago World’s Fair, and left a definite mark on the history of Japanese sculpture.
In this way, Duen is regarded as the founder of the Nara Ningyo (Itto-bori carving) movement, and at the same time, he is being reevaluated in recent years as a pioneer of modern Japanese sculpture. This exhibition, commemorating the bicentennial of Duen’s birth, aims to introduce the entirety of Duen’s art and provide an opportunity to reexamine its significance and characteristics. For this exhibition, the National Museum will borrow representative works by Morikawa Toen from its collection under the “FY2021 National Museum Loan Promotion Program”.
First half: September 23 - October 17, Second half: October 19 - November 14
Schedule | Sep 23 (Thu) 2021-Nov 14 (Sun) 2021 Opening Hours Information
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| Fee | Adults ¥800, University and High School Students ¥600, Junior High and Elementary School Students ¥400, Persons with Disability Certificates + 1 Companion free. | ||||||
| Venue | Nara Prefectural Museum of Art | ||||||
| Location | 10-6 Noborioji-cho, Nara-shi, Nara 630-8213 | ||||||
| Access | 5 minute walk from exit 1 at Nara Station on the Kintetsu line; From the East exit of JR Nara Station, take the Nara Kotsu bus and get off at Kenchomae. The venue is 2 minute walk from there. | ||||||
| Phone | 0742-23-3968 | ||||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it |
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