Yamamoto Shinsuke (山本眞輔), Japanese, b. 1939

A “Inori” (祈り) Bronze Sculpture

Showa Era (1926-1989), Heisei Era (1989-2019) or Reiwa Era (2019-present)

About the work

This bronze sculpture titled Inori (“Prayer”) by Yamamoto Shinsuke presents a quietly contemplative standing female figure with hands clasped in a gesture of devotion. The elongated form is draped in a textured robe that falls in simplified vertical planes, creating a balance between abstraction and figuration. A small companion figure at the base introduces a gentle narrative element, enhancing the sculpture’s introspective character.

Cast in bronze with a warm gilt and darkened patinated finish, the work emphasizes surface contrast and tactile detail. The figure’s serene facial expression and restrained posture evoke themes of spirituality, stillness, and reflection. The composition possesses a refined monumentality despite its intimate scale, making it suitable as a display sculpture for a private collection or contemplative interior setting.

The piece is accompanied by its original signed wooden storage box (tomobako).

Dimensions

35.5cm(h) x 14.5cm(w) x 11cm(d)

31 cm (h) without the base

Footnote

Yamamoto Shinsuke (b. 1939) is a distinguished Japanese sculptor from Aichi Prefecture and a member of the Japan Art Academy. He graduated from the sculpture program at Tokyo University of Education in 1963 and first exhibited at the Nitten exhibition in 1962. Yamamoto received Nitten Special Selection awards in 1972 and 1980, becoming a Nitten member in 1986 and later a councilor in 1996. He was awarded the Japan Art Academy Prize in 2004 and the Chunichi Culture Award in 2007. In 2008, he became a member of the Japan Art Academy, and in 2024 he received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon.