Description:

Ohara Koson (1877–1945), Owl in the Moonlight. Japan

Title: Owl in the Moonlight
Technique: Gouache and ink on silk, mounted under glass
Date: Ca. 1910–1930
Image size: H. 34 cm, W. 18 cm
Frame: H. 38 cm, W. 22 cm, black lacquered wooden frame with age-related wear
Signature: Signed lower right “古邨” (Koson) with red seal
Condition: Good condition with minor wear to frame

A poetic work by Ohara Koson, regarded as one of the leading Japanese artists of the shin-hanga tradition. He is especially renowned for his bird-and-flower motifs, where natural detail is combined with a lyrical atmosphere. In this painting, an owl is depicted perched on a branch beneath a crescent moon – a classic subject for Koson, where the stillness of night and the symbolism of wisdom meet in a refined composition.

Bio:
Ohara Koson (1877–1945) was a Japanese painter and printmaker who worked under several names, including Shōson and Hōson. He is best known for his bird-and-flower subjects (kacho-e) within the shin-hanga movement, where his technical precision and sense of mood revitalised traditional Japanese nature representation. Koson’s works were widely exported to the West and are today represented in major international museums and collections, including in Tokyo, London, and New York.