Yuzuki, Evening Moon (imperial Commission) - Bronze 1922, Kosuke Fuji (1882-1958) #725

Yuzuki ("Evening Moon"), Kosuke FUJI, 1922 A young noblewoman wearing a yukata with a long-handled fan in her hand, contemplating the moon on a summer evening. A larger version is in the Imperial Collections Museum in Tokyo and was exhibited in 2024 at the exhibition "The Splendors of Nature: Scenes of the Moon and Water." (see last photo of the slideshow) Kosuke FUJI is a multifaceted artist. Born in Tokyo in 1882 (November 29), he first learned drawing under the painter Mantani Kunishiro and then graduated from the sculpture department of the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1907. That same year, the first Bunten exhibition marked his entry into official exhibitions, in which the artist very quickly won many prizes such as the Diploma of Merit in 1909 for his statue "Exhaustion" or third prize in 1911 for his sculpture "In Front of the Mirror". His first sculptures were particularly inspired by the work of the Belgian sculptor Constantin Meunier. Throughout his career, he held important positions within Japanese artistic institutions such as member of the Japanese Art Institute from 1916, member of the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in 1936 and member of the jury of the Nitten after the Second World War. Although he mainly produced female nudes, the end of his career was marked by animal sculptures, particularly dogs, which he was passionate about. In addition to sculpture, Kosuke Fuji tried his hand at painting, making relief medals and decorative objects such as paperweights and letter openers. He died on July 15, 1958. A certificate and illustrated instructions will be given to the purchaser. There is a fine vertical scratch on her right forearm.