"Chuo-ohashi Bridge" over the Sumida River. With the white and high main tower of this bridge in the background, many cherry blossoms bloomed again this year, delighting people's eyes.
Looking at the upper and middle sides of this bridge girder, you can see that there are unusual things that other bridges on the Sumida River do not have. The statue was given to Tokyo as a sign of friendship from Paris, France. This is the "Messenger Statue" by Osship Zackin.
The Seine River, which flows through Paris, France, is a friendly river on the Sumida River in Tokyo. This statue was given by Jack Sirak, the mayor of Paris at the time of the friendship.
In order to see this statue from the closest, you need to walk to the middle of Hashigami. However, since the statue faces the upstream of the river, I don't understand the front side of the statue, like "Why don't you turn your face?"
When I was wondering if there was a way to watch from the front side, I knew that there was a similar statue in Yamanashi Prefecture, so I came to see it during the cherry blossoms this spring.
The statue is located in Kiyoharu Art Village, Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture. It is a refreshing spot where museums and architecture are dotted in the mountain village surrounded by mountains, but especially in the spring, it is famous as a place where cherry blossoms are in full bloom against Mt. Kai-komagatake in the background, attracting many tourists.
This Kiyoharu Art Village was built on the site of a closed school by Chozo Yoshii of "Yoshii Gallery" in Ginza 8-chome, who died last year. The fact that there are many cherry trees is the remnants of the former elementary school.
Actually, my home likes Yamanashi Prefecture, and it has been 15 years since I came to see the cherry blossoms and peach blossoms of Yamanashi every year. I've come to see the cherry blossoms at Kiyoharu Art Village several times, but I guess there was a messenger statue in this place ... I was surprised.
As soon as you enter the entrance of Kiyoharu Art Village, there is a building called "La Rush", and this statue stands in a way that welcomes visitors.
The face is flat, but it is characterized by a step on the left and right. In addition, the strength of the legs is very conveyed.
The left arm is turned from behind to the right shoulder,
The most impressive thing was that the right arm, which holds the sailing ship carefully on the front of the body, was very powerful.
The author of this statue is Osship Zackin. He is a sculptor from Russia and is active in Paris, France. It seems that he had been staying in a building called "La Rush" in Paris, where artists gather, and the reason is that there is a statue in front of "La Rush" in Kiyoharu Art Village.
The Messenger statue was made in 1937 and was exhibited at the Paris World Exposition that year. It seems that it was originally a wooden sculpture, and then several bronze statues were made at Kiyoharu Art Village and Chuo-ohashi Bridge.
At Chuo-ohashi Bridge on the Sumida River, there is an explanation relief for this bronze statue.
There
"According to a guide to the World Exposition at that time, this work represents the guardian deity of France who dispatches ships overseas in search of rare wood."
And more
"The sailing ship in the statue reminds me of the sailing ship depicted on the emblem of Paris."
It's written.
Looking at the emblem of Paris on Wikipedia, it is true that a sailing ship with sails is drawn in the center of the emblem.
The Latin slogan "FLUCTUAT NEC MERGITUR" is attached. This is a word that means "tayudo not sink" or "waft but do not sink".
The city of Paris, like Tokyo, was once developed by water transport. Originally, this word was the word of the water transport association around Paris, expressing the strong will of the sailors.
"It may shake by the waves, but it never sinks."
Paris is a city that has been at the mercy of history such as revolutions, floods, and world wars, but it is a meaningful word that symbolizes Paris.
A messenger statue holding a sailing ship with a deep meaning.
If this Messenger statue contains such a message that represents the essence of Paris, would it mean that Tokyo receives an important message from Paris?
A message sent from Chuo-ohashi Bridge toward the upper reaches of the Sumida River by a messenger from Paris. The composition that Tokyo's historic Eitai Bridge welcomes and receives it.
Eitai Bridge continues to watch the Sumida River and has long reigned as the gate of the Sumida River in Edo and Tokyo, and is the most suitable bridge for pick-up.
There may be a reason why the Messenger statue is facing upstream, not downstream of the Sumida River.
When I was writing this article, there was news that terrorism occurred in Paris ...
The word "Don't sink." Once again, I felt it was a very meaningful word.
