Koson 小原古邨 : Fox at Water’s Edge by Moonlight

Artist: Ohara Koson (1877-1945)
Title: Fox at Water’s Edge by Moonlight Date: ca. 1934

A fox cautiously enters the shallows, its eyes straight ahead and one paw in the water. It likely has spied some waterfowl in the distance that it will try to sneak up on. It is at the edge of a river or lake, with waving reeds lining the shore. Three ducks are seen landing in the distance, which is perhaps a hint of what the fox is fixated upon. This is a scarce design, and the colors are very soft and subtle, much as what would be seen in person in the early evening. There is another version of this design in the collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Art that is published with this exact design in reverse, with the fox looking left and no geese flying and its coat a much brighter orange. The publisher for that design is Kawaguchi Jiro, and Koson’s signature looks quite different. A design would be seen in a reverse image if the original print was pasted face-up to cut the keyblock for the copied design, rather than a drawing being pasted face-down on the keyblock for carving. With the Watanabe “C” seal left margin, which was in use between 1930-1942. Works that were printed with the publisher Watanabe by this artist are signed “Shoson”, as here. A rather seldom seen design, especially in this excellent condition.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition. 
Dimensions: 26.2 x 38.7 cm
Literature: Amy Newland et. al., Crows, Cranes & Camellias: The Natural World of Ohara Koson 1877-1945, 2001, checklist S41.4 and Watanabe 1936 catalog. 
Signature: Shoson 

SKU: KOS259