In the late 19th century, to meet the enormous demand in the West and to promote the national industry, the Meiji government encouraged the manufacture of Japanese traditional art objects for export. This movement was also accelerated as a result of the international expositions that introduced Japanese art objects to a wider audience and increased demand in the West. Ishikawa Komei (1852-1913), one of the most celebrated and influential sculptors, felt it important to maintain Japanese traditional skills and actively gathered talented sculptors. He was appointed to the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1890, a year after it opened. He guided young sculptors alongside Takamura Koun (1852-1934) and others. Eventually, the term 'Tokyo School' emerged in the West to denote the finest sculptures from the Meiji period, and is applied to both ivory and bronze.