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context: sculpture > modern sculpture
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Aged Monkey |
Takamura Koun 1852-1934
It was in the late 19th Century, after the Meiji restoration and the opening up to Europeans, when the idea of art for art's sake took hold in Japan, and artists started producing things without regard for religious purpose or decorative qualities. Koun produced works in many materials harking back to old Buddhist styles and standards, but my favourite is the extraordinarily moving work shown here, a carved wood piece full of expression and sadness.