Japanese bronze By Shinkai TAKETARÔ - Horse

Shinkai TAKETARÔ,(1868-1927) was born in Yamagata, present-day Yamagata Prefecture.

The eldest son of a Buddhist master, he initially aspired to become a soldier and, in 1888, enlisted in the Guards Cavalry Battalion. Disappointed by his failure to pass the cadet examination, he gained a solid reputation within the unit thanks to his handmade wooden sculpture of a horse. Following some recommendations, he turned to sculpture. Discharged in 1891, he studied under Sadayuki Goto. At this time, Goto worked under Takamura Koun on the prototype of Masanori Kusunoki's statue and served as his assistant. He also learned drawing from Tadashi Asai and modeling from Sojiro Ogura. In 1896, the army commissioned him to create an equestrian statue of Prince Nohisa for the Kitashirakawa Palace. He completed the prototype in 1899 (cast the following year and installed in 1902).

After participating in the Paris World's Fair, he traveled to Europe in 1900 and then settled in Berlin, where he studied under Ernst Herter, then head professor of the sculpture department at the Berlin School of Fine Arts in Germany. There, he learned the academic techniques of sculpture. Returning to Japan in 1902, he became a member of the Pacific Painting Society, founded by Nakamura Fuori and others, and has been a central figure ever since. When the Research Institute of the Pacific Painting Society was established in 1904, he became head of the sculpture department and mentored many young artists such as Fumio Asakura, Teijiro Nakahara, and Shinji Hori. His nephew, Shinkai Takezo, also studied under Taketaro and was active as a sculptor.

Taketaro excelled in horse statues thanks to his experience in the cavalry. In addition to the aforementioned equestrian statue of Prince Nohisa, installed in Kitashirakawa Palace, he also worked on equestrian statues of famous soldiers such as Field Marshal Iwao Oyama and Lieutenant Toshiyoshi Nanbu. Although known for his academic and simple style, he also incorporated elements of Art Nouveau and left behind many unique works dealing with Japanese and oriental themes. His style is considered a typical example of the neoclassical style, which sought to merge oriental themes with Nordic romantic styles. Since the first Bunten in 1907, he has served as a judge and, on June 11, 1917, he became a member of the Imperial Chamber of Fine Arts. In 1919, he became a member of the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts. He died of heart disease in 1927.

This sculpture dates from the late Meiji period, early Taisho period, around 1915. It comes with its tomobako (original box).