Koson 小原古邨 : Jay on an Oak Branch (Oversized)

Artist: Ohara Kōson (1877-1945)
Title: Jay on an Oak Branch   Date: Ca. 1910s

A jay (Garrulus glandarius) is posed on its favorite food resource, an oak tree, its expression almost contemplative. Acorns are apparently its main food and oak forests its preferred habitat. The bird is is large, perhaps even life-sized, and the work has the painterly feeling and naturalistic colors that Koson’s prints are prized for. These oversized (naga-oban) works by Kokkeido have become quite scarce, and they were never reprinted. This is apparently one of Koson’s earliest prints.

Condition: Excellent impression and color; very good condition. There is a slight amount of toning to most of the front of the print. This is not due to prior framing (mat burn), but is very common to see on Koson works. This dealer surmises that it has to do with contact with another print during its 100+ years of storage.

Dimensions: naga-oban 50 x 21.7 cm Publisher: Kokkeido (Akiyama Buemon)
Literature: See "Crows, Cranes and Camellias" (2010), number 7  and checklist number K5.18.  Seal: Koson   Signature: Koson

SKU: KOS244