Japanese bronze by Ota Ryohei (1913-1997) Koi Carp

Sensitively cast and beautifully patinated, this elegant bronze fish exemplifies the refined sculptural language of ?ta Ryohei, one of the notable Japanese sculptors active within the Nitten (Japan Fine Arts Exhibition) movement during the mid-20th century.

The elongated form, gently swelling toward the midsection and tapering to a finely curved caudal fin, creates a striking sense of hydrodynamic movement. The artist’s sculptural discipline is evident in the balanced interplay between stylized abstraction and observed naturalism: the anatomical lines of the head and gill plates are rendered with minimal yet confident incision, while the dorsal fin rises in a distinctive backward sweep that enhances the feeling of motion.
The surface is finished with a rich, mottled patina—deep greens interwoven with subtle reds—evoking the iridescent sheen of a live koi gliding beneath shifting water. This nuanced coloration is a hallmark of Ryohei’s bronze work, achieved through controlled heat patination and layering, techniques traditionally mastered within the Japanese metalworking lineage.
An object of sculptural purity and contemplative beauty, this bronze stands as an excellent representative of the artist’s mature style and of mid-20th-century Japanese bronze artistry as a whole.

?ta Ryohei (1913-1997) was born in Yanagawa (present-day Date City), Fukushima Prefecture, and emerged as a dedicated sculptor during Japan’s highly competitive Sh?wa-era art world. In 1931 he began formal training in sculpture under Miki S?saku, later continuing under two of Japan’s prominent sculptural figures: kitamura Seib?, celebrated for the Nagasaki Peace Statue, and Fujino Shunsei, an influential educator in figurative sculpture.
?ta first exhibited at Japan’s prestigious Bunten (Imperial Art Exhibition) in 1936 and at the Shin-Bunten in 1939. After the war he became a regular participant in the Nitten, the pre-eminent national art exhibition that defined cultural prestige in modern Japan.
Among his distinctions:
Asakura Prize, 9th Nitten (1953) – one of the highest honors a sculptor could receive at the time
Special commendation for Sh?d?ni Vincentia (1954), further raising his national profile
Later appointed as Nitten Member, Jury Member, and eventually Sany? (Executive Adviser)
Throughout the postwar era, ?ta produced a significant body of sculpture—figural works, religious subjects, and refined animal forms—executed in wood and bronze. His bronzes, particularly his stylized koi and aquatic animals, became admired for their serene elegance and masterful patination.

Today, over 300 works by ?ta are preserved in the Yanagawa / Date City Museum, which maintains a dedicated memorial collection “?ta Ryohei Memorial Hall”. Public monuments and bronzes across Fukushima Prefecture further attest to his cultural importance. His signed bronze sculptures remain sought-after pieces in both Japanese and international collections of 20th-century sculpture.

Japanese carp, or koi, as they are called, are said to symbolize fighting spirit, due to their hardy nature. Yet, because “koi” is a synonym for the Japanese word for “love,” in a linguistic sense they can also be linked to thoughts of calming beauty and romance. Many of the attributes of the Koi symbolize prosperity and success including several lessons individuals often encounter in life. The Koi fish has a powerful and energetic life force, demonstrated by its ability to swim against currents and even travel upstream. Some of the characteristics associated with the Koi include:
Good fortune, success, prosperity, longevity, courage, ambition and perseverance.

This sculpture comes with its original box (tomobako).