A bronze image of a deer by Nakajima Yasumi I (Toyoji) enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Jundo Shika Okimono. It is 17 x 10 x 14 cm and in overall excellent condition, with some wear on the bottom typical of age and handling.
Nakajima Yasumi I (1877–1950), also known as Nakajima Toyoji, first came to prominence in 1908 when he received an award at the Senkatsu Kinen Exhibition. He went on to become one of the leading bronze artists of his generation, exhibiting regularly at the prestigious Teiten and later Nitten national exhibitions. Internationally active, he was awarded at the 1931 Belgian Exposition and served as a juror for the Japanese submissions to the 1925 Paris Exposition, where his own work was also recognized with honors. His bronzes entered important public collections, including those of the Imperial Household Agency and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London. Respected both for his artistic achievements and his technical mastery, Nakajima played an influential role in mentoring a younger generation of bronze artists, helping to shape the development of modern Japanese metalwork. He was followed by his son, Nakajima Yasumi II, who, in turn, helped shape the bronze art direction in the post-war era.
