Water Rail by Moonlight (満月に水鶏) - Ohara Koson (小原古邨) - Ohara Koson (1877-1945) - Japan

Artist: Ohara Koson (小原 古邨, 1877–1945)
Title: Water Rail on a Reed Stem under a Full Moon (also known as Spotted Redshank or Zwarte Ruiter)

Date: Early 20th century, Meiji/Taishō period (circa 1900–1910)

An atmospheric and finely detailed original Japanese kacho-e (bird-and-flower) woodblock print by the renowned shin-hanga master Ohara Koson. The composition depicts a water rail perched delicately on a bending reed stem against a misty evening sky dominated by a large, pale full moon.
The print displays exquisite craftsmanship, featuring subtle bokashi (hand-applied color gradation) in the soft grey and warm beige tones of the background sky and water, contrasting beautifully with the crisp, finely carved keyblock lines of the bird’s plumage and the silhouetted reeds.

Provenance & Museum Reference
An identical impression of this early Koson design is held in the permanent collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (Jan Perrée collection). Works signed Koson belong to the artist's sought-after early period (prior to 1923), published by Daikokuya (Matsuki Heikichi) like this print.

Condition
Very good condition. Strong, well-preserved colors and crisp impression with clean bokashi shading.

Technique: Original Japanese woodblock print (nishiki-e / kacho-e), ink and color on handmade Japanese mulberry paper (washi)

Format: Ōtanzaku (approx. 34.5 × 18.5 cm)
Signature & Seal: Signed Koson (古邨) in black ink at the lower left, with the artist's red seal directly beneath.