A bronze statue of a standing bijin (美人)

Description:

Japan, Tokyo School, signed: Nihon Tokyo Udagawa sei (日本東京宇田川製), Meiji Period
H. 92 cm / 141 cm
Standing barefoot, elegantly clad in a yukata tied at the back, holding an Ikebana vase with both hands. Her face is characterised by grace with almond-shaped eyes, a fine nose and full lips, her coiffure elaborately arranged in a chignon at the back The viewer in front of her is immediately captivated by her beauty. Dark patinated bronze, mounted on a hexagonal sandstone pillar partially engraved with Japanese letters and stylzed dragons.Dark patinated bronze, signed on the back: Nihon Tokyo Udagawa sei (日本東京宇田川製 / Made by Udagawa Kazuo in Tokyo).
Carl Duisberg received this bronze as a gift from Rütger von Brüning (1875 -1936) in 1932, as confirmed by a metal plaque mounted on the base - Partial age damage and surface change due to many years of presentation in the park
Udagawa Kazuo was recorded as a member of the Tokyo Chōkōkai (東京彫工会, Tokyo Sculptors’ Society), with an address at Shitaya-ku, Nicho-machi, 3-banchi, Tokyo. An artist of the second generation of the Tokyo School, he exhibited at several major national and international exhibitions of the Meiji period. Initially working under the name Udagawa Sutejiro (宇田川捨次郎), he participated in the Naikoku Kangyō Hakurankai (Domestic Industrial Exhibitions) in 1890 and 1903, as well as in the Third National Industrial Exhibition. Later adopting the name Kazuo (和雄), he continued to achieve recognition, exhibiting in the award-winning sections of major international expositions, including the Exposition Universelle in Paris (1900), the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis (1904), and the Japan-British Exhibition in London (1910). For examples of his work see the bronze 'Farmer's wife feeding a baby on the bench' in the collection of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, exhibition catalogue 'Japanese Decorative Arts of the Meiji Period' by O.Impey & J. Seaman 2005, no. 32 pg. 68.
A bijin (美人) is a term used in Japan to describe a beautiful woman, admired not only for physical attractiveness but also for grace, elegance, and refinement. Historically, the concept of bijin emphasized both outer beauty and cultured behavior, including qualities like good manners and intelligence. In art, particularly bijin-ga (美人画) woodblock prints, bijin were depicted in graceful poses, often engaged in cultural activities, embodying the ideal of feminine beauty. This aesthetic influence also extended to bronze sculptures, where the elegant, refined portrayal of women infkluenced their appearance and style.
This lot is subject to standard taxation: a premium of 24.5 % will be charged on the hammer price. Statutory VAT is payable on the hammer price plus premium.