Yorinaka Tsumaki and the ornament of the Nihonbashi Bridge (1) : the role of an "architect" in cooperation with civil engineers and sculptors

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • 妻木頼黄と日本橋の装飾(1):土木技師、彫刻家との協同における「建築家」の役割

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Description

The Nihonbashi Bridge has always been the symbol of Nihonbashi district since its foundation in Edo period. The extant bridge constructed in 1911 is a remarkable monument in the urban history of Tokyo, the history of civil engineering, the architectural history, and the art history.The objective of this paper is to reconsider the role of the architect Yorinaka Tsumaki (1859-1916), who cooperated with civil engineers and sculptors in its realization. Most modern Japanese bridges constructed before this were designed only by civil engineers. Therefore, the Nihonbashi Bridge was considered to be the first example designed under partnership of civil engineers and architects. Though there is an objection to this theory, the reexamination of Tsumaki's role in this project has reconfirmed the fact that it is indeed the first of its kind.Tsumaki's cooperation with sculptors, such as Osao Watanabe, is less noticed, and has not been sufficiently examined. Among contemporary criticism on architecture, there were some that criticized the weak relationship between architecture and sculpture and/or their undeveloped relationships: they also requested the positive involvement from the side of the architects. In the execution of the famous statues of Lion and the imaginary animal "Kirin", Tsumaki's intervention towards the sculptors is very positiveand detailed: the decision of the ornamental program, the selection of the motives and the styles of the statues and the reliefs, and the disposition of statues. It can be said that Tsumaki advanced the partnership with the sculptors in line with the contemporary opinions.

Journal

  • 日本橋学研究

    日本橋学研究 2 (1), 31-46, 2009-03-31

    Nihonbashi Gakkan University

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

  • CRID
    1574231876789861632
  • NII Article ID
    110008802942
  • NII Book ID
    AA12337743
  • ISSN
    18829147
  • Text Lang
    ja
  • Data Source
    • CiNii Articles

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