A delicate image of a sparrow perched on bamboo laden down with snow by Jinbo Miyabi enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kan-Suzume which is in turn enclosed in a custom made cloth bound storage box which is protected by an outer cardboard case. The sculpture is 31.5 x 12.5 x 14.5 cm (12-1/2 x 5 x 5-3/4 inches) and is in excellent condition. It comes with a black lacquered wooden stand which is 36.5 x 27 x 3 cm (14-1/2 x 11 x 1-1/4 inches).
Jinbo Miyabi (born 1952, Fukushima Prefecture) is a contemporary Japanese wood sculptor known for his refined, single-block carvings executed without grafting or assembly. After graduating from the Tokyo Metropolitan Kōgei High School in 1971, he began his formal training under his father, the sculptor Jinbo Yutaka, from whom he inherited both technical rigor and a deep respect for traditional woodcarving practices. Miyabi quickly distinguished himself through his exceptional ability to carve birds rendered with striking realism—works that appear poised to move at any moment—while simultaneously imbuing them with a lyrical elegance through delicate, painterly coloration. His sculptures are characterized by an extraordinary level of precision reminiscent of fine miniature painting, yet they transcend mere realism through a poetic sensibility and narrative presence that have earned him wide acclaim. He first exhibited at the Jiyū Bijutsu Exhibition in 1977 and received an Honorable Mention Award there in 1980. From the mid-1980s onward, he participated in numerous important exhibitions, including a series of “Three-Person Family Exhibitions” with his father Jinbo Yutaka and brother Jinbo Takuma, as well as duo and group shows exploring contemporary wood sculpture and its relationship to tea culture. Miyabi has held many solo exhibitions at major department-store galleries across Japan, including Takashimaya and Matsuzakaya venues in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, and Yokohama, and his work has been featured in traveling exhibitions since the early 2000s. Through his masterful technique, graceful coloration, and quietly evocative imagery, Jinbo Miyabi has established a distinctive voice within contemporary Japanese wood sculpture, bridging meticulous craftsmanship with poetic storytelling.
