Hello everyone. Today, I would like to introduce a horned owl incense burner by Shunko Nishimura.
Generally, when creating the fine details for bird carvings like this, the typical approach is to shape them by adding details onto a solid block, but this piece is extraordinary—the talons were crafted individually, just like the real thing.
Generally, when creating the fine details for bird carvings like this, the typical approach is to shape them by adding details onto a solid block, but this piece is extraordinary—the talons were crafted individually, just like the real thing.
The rest of the piece is also crafted with such intense attention to detail that, although it is a cliché phrase, the only way to describe the final result is "it looks as if it’s alive."
To convey just how remarkable this is, I took this photo.
The object being held between the talons is actually the head of a toothpick.
You can securely grip something this thin between the talons.
Here is another photo from the side.
What looks like a perch in this picture is actually a toothpick.
The craftsmanship is so fine that even a toothpick wouldn't fit between the talons.
When this incense burner arrived at the shop, the staff had a discussion about how these talons could have been made, but we ultimately concluded that it’s impossible to imagine.
While I suspect it may have been carved out from a block, the surface is so smooth that no spatula marks can be found.
It is truly a piece that leaves us in awe of the technical skill and patience of Shunko Nishimura, who is able to create such works.
While I suspect it may have been carved out from a block, the surface is so smooth that no spatula marks can be found.
It is truly a piece that leaves us in awe of the technical skill and patience of Shunko Nishimura, who is able to create such works.