Ishikawa Komei

JAPAN, Tokyo, Asakusa; Edo to Taisho period (1615–1926)

Ishikawa Komei was a sculptor born in Asakusa, Edo (present day Tokyo). Hailing from a family of wood carvers, he was trained in the craft at a young age by his father. He also learned Kano-style painting under Kano Sosen and ivory carving under Kikugawa Masamitsu.
Ishikawa is noted for his sculptures in relief. His depiction of Avalokitesvara with a Fish Basket, carved from ivory, won first prize in the Second National Industrial Exposition in Tokyo in 1881. Later, Ishikawa became a sculptor in the imperial court, as well as a member of the Arts Committee at the Imperial Household Agency. He also served as a professor at the Tokyo University of the Arts. In both 1894 and 1903, he was a judge at the National Industrial Exposition in Tokyo, and in 1899 and 1910, he was a panel member of The World Exposition.
Extant works by Ishikawa include Shepherd Boy, which is currently kept at the University Art Museum, Tokyo University of the Arts, and the bas-relief wooden carving of Avalokitesvara in a White Robe, collected at the Tokyo National Museum. The Bodhisattva, seated in lotus position, is delicately carved in a serene and contemplative pose. The piece was a prize winning sculpture at the Chicago World Exposition in 1893.