Guardianes Nio Agyo y Ungyo de Takamura Koun, pareja de bronce fundido, edición de la era Showa certificada por Kodansha, 56–56.5 cm

Agyo and Ungyo, the threshold guardians of Buddhist precincts, cast in bronze after Takamura Koun with taut musculature, tightened brows and the surge of forward motion that defines the guardian stance. Issued in the Showa era with a Kodansha guarantee, the complete pair turns devotional icon into sculptural study.

The Piece

The figures translate the immediacy of carved wood prototypes into the permanence of metal, with pronounced anatomical modeling and dynamic drapery. Takamura Koun (1852–1934) was one of Japan's most influential sculptors of the modern period and a central figure in the revival of historically grounded figuration; his legacy of rigorous observation and lifelike presence resonates strongly in this casting, where the guardians' bodies read as both devotional icon and study of the human form.

In paired form Agyo embodies the opening sound, birth, the beginning and the first breath, while Ungyo embodies the closing sound, completion, dissolution and the final breath. Together they frame the totality of experience and guard the boundary between the ordinary and the sacred, which is why a complete pair is materially and conceptually stronger than a single figure: the set is the story.

The publisher-issued documentation, described as a guarantee from Kodansha, marks this as a reputable issued work rather than an anonymous decorative reproduction, a meaningful signal in secondary-market circulation. Monumental at a domestic scale, the pair commands a study, entry or design project without architectural installation, guardians that do not merely decorate a room but change its temperature.

Details

• Maker: After Takamura Koun (1852–1934)
• Edition: Publisher-certified edition, Showa-era release
• Material: Cast bronze
• Measurements: Agyo: approx. H 56.0 cm × W 21.0 cm × D 20.0 cm · Ungyo: approx. H 56.5 cm × W 20.5 cm × D 22.5 cm
• Weight: Agyo approx. 10.6 kg · Ungyo approx. 11.1 kg · Combined approx. 21.7 kg
• Included: Publisher-issued documentation described as a guarantee from Kodansha

Condition

• Good condition overall.
• Minor surface handling marks consistent with age and use; the photographs show patina variation, edge wear and any small casting or finishing irregularities typical of bronze.

Packing & Freight

The pair travels in two separate foam-cradled cartons.

• Carton estimate (each): 75 × 40 × 40 cm
• Dimensional weight (divisor 5000): approx. 24.0 kg per carton, about 48.0 kg in total
• Estimated actual packed weight: approx. 14.0 kg per carton, about 28.0 kg in total
• Total volume for freight planning: approx. 0.24 m³ (two cartons)
• Estimated transit: EMS 4–10 days; DHL / FedEx / UPS 2–6 days; surface 6–14 weeks; freight varies by lane

Authenticity & Care

Attribution and issue details follow the accompanying Kodansha paperwork. 'After Takamura Koun' is a catalogued attribution, not a workshop-authenticated signature claim, unless further primary documentation is provided. Every piece is examined and documented in Japan before dispatch and is offered with the Japonista authenticity guarantee.

Delivery from Japan

Crated in Japan and shipped insured by air or sea freight. A freight quote is confirmed with you before dispatch through our Museum-Grade Logistics Suite™. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Returns follow our published policy.

Collectors also search: takamura koun nio statue · agyo ungyo bronze pair · nio guardians bronze · kongo rikishi statue pair · takamura koun bronze · japanese temple guardian statues · kodansha bronze sculpture