Gyokuzan carvings are highly coveted by collectors.

The International studio, Volume 42, Charles Holme, Guy Eglinton, Peyton Boswell, William Bernard McCormick, Henry James Whigham, Offices of the International Studio, 1910 - (Article)

Japanese Art and Artists of Today - IV. Wood and Ivory Carving

Asahi Gyokuzan

There are a great number of connoisseurs in Japan who place Gyokuzan before Koun, declaring his work to be of a higher excellence. It cannot be denied that present carvers in Japan owe a great deal to Gyokuzan, who is now living a kind of retired life in Kyoto, having left Tokyo some years ago. It was he who organised the Glyptic Association in Tokyo some twenty years ago. He was originally an ivory carver, and became famous for his carvings of skulls. With what minute care and patience Gyokuzan wotked upon these creations is evidenced from the following story told concerning one of these skulls. It appears that Dr. Matsumato Jun, in Japan, sent one to a physician in Germany. The latter was so completely deceived that he took it to a Japanese friend and asked him what kind of animal it was in Japan that possessed a skull identical with that of the human being. The Japanese doctor quickly enlightened the German physician and pointed out that it was merely a copy in miniature of the human skull. They then examined it more carefully and minutely, when it was found to be true in every detail, even the passage from the ear to the nose being distinctly shown with all its curvature, as well as the various bones, etc. They marvelled how any human hand could have produced such an exact copy. One of this master's skulls received the highest prize at the second Industrial Exhibition held in Tokyo. At this period Gyokuzan was the centre of influence among younger aspirants in glyptic art. However, when Takamura Koun came into prominence he appears to have quietly retired, and went to Kyoto, where he is still living.

This master's delicate and minute work in ivory called forth great admiration at the St. Louis Exposition, where he also obtained a high reward. It was this artist who first started to join up ivory when making large figures. His first production of this kind was shown at one of the Fine Arts Association's exhibitions. The figure, about nineteen inches high, was that of a court lady. Thus he was not only master in minute work, but in larger figures as well.

One of his latest works, and perhaps the best of its kind to be found among Japanese art productions, is a box of paulowina wood (p. 116) [see picture], a very soft and light wood, exceedingly difficult to work upon. The delicate work of the spider's web is produced by inlaid ivory, the dark leaves by persimmon wood, and the flowers by shells of natural colours. Metal and horn, too, have been used to obtain the necessary shade and effect. The exquisite and delicate workmanship shown in this beautiful handbox makes it, in the estimation of the Japanese, one of the best of its kind ever produced.