Okimono or sculpture in the form of a grazing, modernist stag. Of cast yellow bronze. Signed on the reverse with a cast seal-form signature by the artist: Churoku (Neya Churoku, 1897 – 1987). Showa 7 or 1932.

With the niju-bako or original double storage box, the outer box red lacquered and the interior box of fine paulownia wood, inscribed on the exterior of the lid: Odo Okimono Shika or Yellow Bronze Sculpture (of a) Deer; and on the reverse of the lid signed: Churoku Saku or Made by Churoku, and sealed: Churoku. Included in the box is the original exhibition post-card of sculpture from the 13th Teiten.

This sculpture was made for exhibition at the 13th Teiten in 1932 and it is illustrated in the Nittenshi, volume 10, page 466, number 150.

An Osaka artist, Neya Churoku graduated from the Tokyo Bijutsu Gakko (Tokyo School of Fine Arts). Like that of his teacher, Tsuda Shinobu, Churoku’s work displays stylized flowing lines with angular counterpoint. Churoku first participated in the national art exhibitions with the 9th Teiten in 1928. He continued with the 10th – 15th Teiten from 1929 – 1934, winning the tokusen or grand prize at the last one. In 1936, he showed at the Bunten Kansaten and the following year was granted mukansa or non-vetted status at the 1st Shin-Bunten. He also showed at the 2nd, 3rd and 5th Shin-Bunten in 1938, 1939, and 1942, as well as at the Senji Tokubetsuten in 1944. Churoku was also invited to participate in the 1933 World Exposition in Chicago.