Randai NAKAMURA (the First) (中村蘭台 (初世))
Randai NAKAMURA (male, 1856 - November 1915) was a Japanese tenkoku artist (a carver using a special chinese character).
His name was Soko. His azana (courtesy name) was Hakuhyo. His second name was Kosokyo Shujin (master of Kosokyo), other than Randai. His common name was Inakichi. He was from Tokyo.
Brief biography
His father was a feudal retainer of the Aizu Domain, and identified his family name as SUDO. His father's ideology of loyalty to the Emperor arouse the anger of the lord of the Aizu Domain, and his father committed suicide by the sword. After the suicide of her husband, his mother moved to Edo with her three sons. Randai, the third son, was adopted to an Asakusa wholesaler in port, and his family name was changed to Nakamura. At first, he was apprenticed to a blacksmith, but later became a disciple of Ryokuun TAKADA. He learned carving methods of Wen PENG and He ZHENG, and sought styles of Qin-Han period. However, at the age of around 37, he met seals of Xu Sangeng and was astonished by his works, and was deeply devoted to his style later on. He lived in Shin Katamachi and Kita Matsuyamamachi in Asakusa district, Tokyo.
He studied methods of using wood as carving material, and developed a delicate technique. In 1907, he founded Teibiinsha with Senro KAWAI, Zoroku HAMAMURA, Chinsho OKAMOTO, Kanzan YAMADA and others, which contributed to the development of tenkoku (seal-engraving). He was also good at calligraphy. His second son succeeded Randai NAKAMURA (the Second).
Inpu (compilation of seal marks)
"Suikando Inson" (1906)
"Randai Inshu" (1920)
"Sanshu" (1929)