Yanagawa Naoharu was the biological son of Naoyuki and the lineal grandson of the family founder, Naomasa, who had studied under Yokoya Somin and established the Yanagawa house as an independent line within the Yokoya school. Naoharu's father died suddenly soon after his birth, and he therefore trained under the patronage and guidance of Naomitsu, who served as both guardian and fourth-generation head. When Naomitsu retired during the Kansei era (1789--1801), Naoharu succeeded to the headship as the third-generation master of the Yanagawa house. He went on to foster such artists as his own son Naotsura, Kono Haruaki, and Suzuki Haruchika, thereby invigorating the world of metal carving in and enhancing the renown of the Yanagawa name.
Naoharu's manner of work excelled particularly in and executed on grounds of or , inheriting the Yokoya-school hallmark of combining with high relief and polychrome inlay. His carving is characterized by ample, rich modeling (-dori) rendered with a lofty sense of dignity; the observes that his workmanship approaches that of Somin himself. While the Yanagawa atelier's hallmark subjects -- lions (shishi), horses, and tigers -- are well known, one of Naoharu's special points of interest is that, unlike most works of the Yanagawa main line, he also carved figural scenes with wit and elegance. His minute execution in miniature forms such as is described as astonishing, uniting meticulous detail with refinement rather than sacrificing dignity to technique.
The regards Naoharu as a master craftsman comparable in skill to the founder Naomasa, and in certain appraisals as surpassing him in technical ability. Although the Yanagawa school inherited the stylistic manner of the Yokoya school, many of Naoharu's works incorporate the Yanagawa house's own fresh and independent idiom. His finest pieces are consistently appraised as works produced with particular effort and resolve -- pieces that fully demonstrate his true merit and may be called successful masterpieces. Through the strength of both his artistry and his teaching, Naoharu secured the Yanagawa house as one of the foremost lineages within the broader Yokoya tradition.
