Egret on a snow-covered branch - Ohara Koson (1877-1945) - Japan

Ohara Koson (Shōson) – Egret on a Snow-Covered Branch

This is a particularly desirable Koson design, combining the artist’s characteristic fascination with birds with an exceptionally minimalist and atmospheric winter composition.

A beautiful and atmospheric Shin-Hanga woodblock print by Ohara Koson (1877–1945), one of Japan’s most celebrated artists of bird-and-flower prints (kachō-e).

The print depicts a solitary little egret perched on a snow-covered branch, set against a remarkably deep, almost entirely black background. Koson’s restrained composition creates a strong sense of stillness and winter solitude, while the delicate rendering of the bird gives the image an exceptional sense of elegance.

Particularly beautiful are the subtle printing techniques used to depict the egret’s plumage. The feathers are partly rendered through blind printing (karazuri), creating a delicate embossed texture that becomes visible as the light catches the paper. Subtle touches of colour in the bird’s beak and plumage provide a striking contrast against the monochromatic winter scene. The combination of the dark background, white snow and finely detailed bird is characteristic of Koson’s sophisticated approach to nature subjects.

This design was published by the renowned publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō, with the artist signing the work under the name Shōson, which Koson used from 1912 onwards. The print is in the distinctive o-tanzaku format, measuring approximately 38 × 17.4 cm. The impression and colours are particularly beautiful, and the print is described as being in excellent condition. Signature: Shōson with red Artist's Seal Shōson
Publisher: Watanabe Shōzaburō
Condition: Very good margins, good paper quality. Please note that there is slight sun fading in the upper left corner, as visible in the accompanying photograph