Lappish Cap

Sato Churyo was a sculptor known for vibrant and inviting female figures and busts, and also illustrated children’s books such as The Giant Turnip. He favored models that he personally knew, and mastered a fresh, clear and compact sculptural style. Describing himself as an artisan, he maintained a steady and unpretentious approach to his practice. In 1981, he held the first solo exhibition by a Japanese artist at the Musée Rodin in Paris. The “Lappish cap” of the title refers to a piece of cold-weather headgear worn by the indigenous Sámi people of northern Scandinavia (historically known as Lapps, and the region as Lapland). The combination of hat and human figure was one that Sato often explored, and the structural features of the hat and the area around the eyes, as well as the treatment of the pedestal seamlessly integrated with the head, create a striking harmony that extends to the space surrounding the work. (H.M.)