Seibo Kitamura facts for kids
Seibo Kitamura (born December 16, 1884 – died March 4, 1987) was a famous Japanese artist who made sculptures. He is best known for creating the huge 10-meter-tall Peace Statue. This important statue stands in Nagasaki Peace Park in Japan. People often just called him "Seibo".
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Early Life and Education
Seibo Kitamura was born on December 16, 1884. His hometown was called Minamiarima in Nagasaki Prefecture. Today, this area is known as Minamishimabara.
In 1903, when he was 19, Seibo went to the Kyoto City University of Arts. He studied sculpture there. He finished his studies in Kyoto in 1907. Right after that, he went to another school, the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. He earned a second degree in sculpture from this school in 1912.
Becoming a Sculptor
After serving in the military, Seibo Kitamura started working as a full-time sculptor in 1915. He quickly became very skilled and well-known. By 1921, he was teaching art himself. He became a professor at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. In 1925, he was invited to join the Japan Art Academy. This is a special group for important artists in Japan.
The Nagasaki Peace Statue
Seibo Kitamura is most famous for creating the Peace Statue. This statue is 10 meters (about 33 feet) tall. It is located in Nagasaki Peace Park. The park and the statue are close to where an atomic bomb exploded on August 9, 1945.
Designing the Statue
The design for the statue was chosen in a special competition. Seibo Kitamura's design was picked. The statue was shown to the public on April 1, 1955. This was the same day the Peace Park opened.
Meaning of the Statue
The Peace Statue has a deep meaning. Its right hand points to the sky. This warns people about where the bomb came from. His left hand is open and stretched out. This shows a message of peace to the world. The statue's eyes are closed. This is a sign of prayer for all the people who died.
One of the statue's legs is folded, like someone meditating. But his left foot is on the ground. This shows he is ready to stand up and help people. The statue and the park are a memorial. They help everyone remember the people of Nagasaki who lost their lives in the atomic bomb explosion.
Later Life and Legacy
Seibo Kitamura received many awards for his artwork. These awards came from his local area and from all over Japan. He lived a very long life. He passed away in Tokyo on March 4, 1987. He was 102 years old.
You can see many of his sculptures today. They are displayed at Shimabara Castle. One of the castle towers, called a yagura, is now a museum. This museum is dedicated to Seibo Kitamura's life and his amazing artwork.
