Hasuda SHÛGORÔ was born in Taisho 4 or 1915 in Kanazawa. He graduated from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1938 where he studied under Toyochika Takamura and was a member of the Nihon Geijutsuin or Japan Arts Academy (the successor to the Pre-War Imperial Arts Academy). He exhibited at the 5th Nitten in 1949, and subsequently won many prizes. Among these in 1959 was the Mombudaijinsho, a highly regarded prize awarded by the Minister of Education.   He recieved the Japan Art Academy Prize in 1962 and 1975.  In 1982 he received the West German First Merit Cross.  Decorated with the Order of Cultural Merit in 1991, Hasuda Shugoro stands as one of the leading modernist artists working in bronze during the Post-War Period.  He added creativity to traditional techniques and presented innovative works with keen colors. He pioneered a new field of metal modeling that breaks away from traditional metal casting.