SHÔZÔ Sugai 須貝庄三
(Japan, Showa era, 1926 – 1989)
The artist Sugai Shôzô was a Nitten exhibition artist. He started metal crafting in April of Taisho 4 (1915). Shozo specialised in the lost-wax method (rogata in Japanese), and made numerous prototype casts for various well-known artists including Shinkai Taketaro (1868 -1927). He worked in Yamagata Prefecture at the Nishimura Metal Studio (Yamagata City) during circa 1963– 1972. He was a regular exhibitor at the Japan Traditional Art Crafts Exhibition (Nihon Dento ko geiten) and received several awards. In 1951 (Showa 26), he exhibited at the 7th Nitten exhibition. In 1971 he received The order of the Rising Sun , Silver rays.