Koson 小原古邨 : Crow on a Snowy Willow Bough (Sold)

Artist: Ohara Kōson (1877-1945)
Title: Crow on a Snowy Willow Bough Against an Orange Sky  雪中の鴉
Date: 1920s-30s

A jungle crow (Corvus macrorhynchos) caws while perched on a snowy bough against an orange sky. Some of its midnight-black feathers have been printed with a glossy effect, making them shine against the light. This work was printed in two different color themes; one gray and one orange, as here. One might guess that the western market preferred the boldness of the orange background, thus this stronger background color. Many Koson designs were printed first in about 1910, and then had second editions printed in the late 1920s/early 1930s, before the war. This has the “Made in Japan” seal verso that prints intended for export in the late 1920s and early 1930s were required to bear. We can note that this must be from the second (prewar) edition, probably printed due the success of Robert Muller’s gallery in the 1930s.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition.
Dimensions: 37.7 x 19 cm
Literature: See the cover of “Shin Hanga: New Prints in Modern Japan” for the grey version, as well as page 55. See “Crows, Cranes & Camellias”, numbers 48 and 48a, page 72 for this design. See Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
Seal: Koson
Signature: Koson

SKU: KOS227