Leaping Rabbit by Mitsunori (1932–), Large Width 29.5 cm - Statue Bronze (gegossen), Skulptur - Japan (Ohne mindestpreis)

Item Description
大淵武則（光則） Obuchi Takenori (Mitsunori) (1932–)

Obuchi Takenori (Mitsunori) — "玉兎之夢 Gyokuto no Yume" (Dream of the Jade Hare), Bronze Sculpture of a Leaping Rabbit

A work of exceptional vitality and craftsmanship by Obuchi Takenori, the celebrated Japanese metalwork artist known by his art name Mitsunori. Cast in solid bronze, this sculpture captures a hare in full sprint — limbs fully extended, ears swept back, body arched in mid-leap across a roughly textured rocky terrain. The pose conveys pure kinetic energy: every muscle, every contour speaks of speed and freedom. Despite the dynamic composition, the modelling is tender and precise — the hare's face carries a charming, almost playful expression, and the fine surface detail of the fur and paws is rendered with the sensitivity of a master craftsman.

The sculpture carries substantial physical presence. At 23 cm in length and 1,820 g, the bronze has real heft — it sits with the quiet authority of a serious art object, not a decorative figurine. Mounted on a lacquered hardwood pedestal (29.5 × 13 × 4.5 cm) with a gilt nameplate reading "Gyokuto no Yume — Mitsunori Saku" (玉兎之夢　光則作), the overall composition is formal and display-ready. The artist's seal is incised on the underside of the sculpture.
The title "Gyokuto no Yume" — Dream of the Jade Hare — references the classical East Asian legend of the hare on the moon, a symbol of good fortune, vitality, and the passage of time.

Size
Height: 13.5 cm
Width (length): 23 cm
Depth: 10 cm
Pedestal: 29.5 × 13 × 4.5 cm

Weight
Sculpture only: 1,820 g
Total (sculpture + pedestal + wooden box): 2,800 g

Include
Signed wooden storage box (tomobako) with the artist's handwritten inscription and personal seal. Lacquered hardwood display pedestal with gilt nameplate.

Condition
The sculpture itself is in very good condition with no notable damage.
The wooden box shows age-related wear including some loosening of adhesive joints, consistent with natural ageing. The pedestal has minor age-related surface scratches.

Artist Profile
大淵武則（光則） Obuchi Takenori, known by his art name Mitsunori, was born in 1932 in Toyama Prefecture, a region with a centuries-old tradition of fine metalwork. In 1948 he entered the studio of master silversmith Hayakawa Tokutaro, and later studied silver craftsmanship in Italy (1970), establishing a distinctive style that fuses Eastern tradition with European refinement. He went on to receive some of Japan's highest honours in the decorative arts, including the Prime Minister's Award (1979), multiple Tokyo Governor's Awards, the Yellow Ribbon Medal (1996), and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays (2004). His commissions include ceremonial works presented to the Imperial Household on the occasions of the Emperor's enthronement (1990) and the Crown Prince's wedding (1993), as well as the restoration of historic metalwork for the Tokyo National Museum and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. He is a former chairman of the Tokyo Gold and Silver Metalwork Industry Cooperative and the founder of the Mitsunori brand (2019), through which he continues to transmit his craft to the next generation.

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