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Japan an important life size 84″ sculpture of a male nude “Male Reborn” by mid century master sculptor Koga Tadao (Meiji 36 (1903) to Showa 54 (1979).

Classic male mid century pose complete with trademark coiled rope on shoulder, this work of art invites you to explore fine details.

Please view the billboard photo of the artist with background sculpture taken from musuem garden, Saga Prefecture Art Museum, 2019.

Excellent garden candidate.

Dimensions: 84 inches high
Base dimensions: 18 inches by 18 inches
Approximate Weight: 475 lbs

Signed on base. Estimated Date of Issue: Late 1950s

References:
1 Billboard photo 2019, from musuem garden, Saga Prefecture Art Museum
2 Catalogue Of Collections- Saga Prefecture Art Museum, 1989 for similar example: Nude,man, 1957, p.212, 84. F-30-4.

Provenance: one of three life size bronze sculptures acquired from a private Japanese garden collection, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. A similar example resides in the gardens of the Saga Regional Art Museum.

Sculptor Artisan: Koga Tadao (1907-1979)

Koga Tadao graduated from the Technical School Arita, then went to Tōkyō and enrolled in the Tōkyō Bijutsu Gakkō the precursor of Tōkyō Geijutsu Daigaku and studied sculpture. In 1929, as a student, a sculpture by him entitled “Buddhist Heart” (仏 心, Busshin) was accepted for the 10th ” Teiten ” exhibition. The following year he graduated from the school. He continued to exhibit in various places. His work “Man on the Cape” (岬 の 男, Misaki no Otoko) at the Shin-Bunten Exhibition 1939 received an honorable mention. His sculpture “Building Greater East Asia” (建つ大東亜, Tatsu Daitōa) received a 1942 Award by the Academy of Arts . His work entitled “Summer work” (夏の作, Natsu no Saku), which he exhibited in the same year, was acquired by the Ministry of Culture.

In 1962 (敗戦から立ち直る日本, Haisen kara tachinaoru Nippon) was erected and in 1964 on the same site Koga’s sculpture “Resurrection of Japan after the lost war”, was erected. In 1964 Koga became chairman of the “Japanese Society of Sculpture” (日本 彫塑 会, Nihon Chōso-kai), and in 1966 he became a member of the Academy of Arts . In 1968 he was highly honored as a director and leading member in the Department of Sculpture of ” Nitten. ” By 1971 he became president of the “Japanese Society of Stone Sculptures” (日本, Nihon Tōchō-kai) and was awarded the Order of Merit.

Koga’s works are known for their distinctive masculine style, though he has created in the last years smaller scale and simplified, empathetic works, such as his series of crows and ducks. On the other hand, there are monumental works by him, such as “Vision of a Forest” (森 の 幻想, Mori no Gensō) – a listening man who was set up in 1973 in his hometown of Saga, and “In Memory of the Cradle of Japanese Medicine “(日本 医学 発 記念 像, Nihon Igaku Hasshō Kinen-zō), which was built the following year in Ōita . The latter shows a doctor treating with assistants at a hospital bed. In 1994 well after his death, the Saga Prefecture Art Museum (佐賀県立美術館) established a sculpture grove park (古賀忠雄彫刻の森) in Koga’s honor by installing over twenty of his monumental bronze works in Saga Castle Park, the lush gardens surrounding the museum.

This important oversized 84” tall bronze sculpture “Male Reborn” created in about 1950-1960 from his later period is artistically representative of the international art world’s fascination and popularity of the nude human body in sculptural form. Of particular prominence, this sculpture may be viewed as a unique back drop to Koga’s working portrait photograph as seen in the Saga Art Museum’s garden grove park display. This is the first time this important sculpture has been exhibited in the west, outside of Japan.

Our gallery has been dealing in authentic Japanese, Chinese, and fine Asian art, garden ornaments, lanterns and water basins for 25 years. The president personally travels to Japan and Europe each year to meet his network partners who assist him in finding best examples. He personally inspects each antique work of art to ensure its old age, authenticity and quality condition.

Lifetime guarantee of authenticity: All of our Asian works of art come with our lifetime authenticity guarantee.
We are member of NAJGA- North American Japanese Garden Association.

Price on request