A great spotted woodpecker grips the side of a trunk while red ivy climbs the bark around it. This is a bird-and-flower print, or kachō-e, by Ohara Koson, a Japanese artist of the shin-hanga revival who made the close study of birds his lifelong subject. The autumn ivy turns the scene to the cooler half of the year, and the bird is caught in a single quiet moment of attention, head tilted to the wood.
The image is a colour woodblock print. The design is carved into cherry-wood blocks and printed by hand, one colour at a time, onto soft paper. This method gives the crisp marking of the bird's plumage, the flat red of the ivy leaves, and the bare ground behind that lets the subject stand clear without distraction.
On a wall the print is alert but never loud. The vertical trunk and the rising ivy suit a tall, narrow space, and the autumn red brings warmth without heaviness. It works well in a hallway, a kitchen, or beside a window, and on paper and framed prints th . . . Read More >>
A great spotted woodpecker grips the side of a trunk while red ivy climbs the bark around it. This is a bird-and-flower print, or kachō-e, by Ohara Koson, a Japanese artist of the shin-hanga revival who made the close study of birds his lifelong subject. The autumn ivy turns the scene to the cooler half of the year, and the bird is caught in a single quiet moment of attention, head tilted to the wood.
The image is a colour woodblock print. The design is carved into cherry-wood blocks and printed by hand, one colour at a time, onto soft paper. This method gives the crisp marking of the bird's plumage, the flat red of the ivy leaves, and the bare ground behind that lets the subject stand clear without distraction.
On a wall the print is alert but never loud. The vertical trunk and the rising ivy suit a tall, narrow space, and the autumn red brings warmth without heaviness. It works well in a hallway, a kitchen, or beside a window, and on paper and framed prints the gallery-style white margin keeps the bird and the bare ground feeling open.
This is a gallery-style edition. On fine-art paper and framed prints, a wide printed border surrounds the image in the manner of a museum mat, holding the same proportion whether the sheet is small or large. The canvas edition is stretched over a solid wooden frame instead, and hangs without a border or additional framing. Each version is produced in Europe to order.
Frequently asked questions
What bird is shown in this print?
It is a great spotted woodpecker, clinging to a tree trunk. Ohara Koson was known for careful, close observation of single birds in their natural posture.
Why is the ivy red?
The red ivy marks the autumn season. Koson often tied a bird to a particular time of year through the surrounding plants, and here the turning leaves set the scene in autumn.
What genre and movement is this?
It is kachō-e, the bird-and-flower genre, made within shin-hanga, the early twentieth-century revival of traditional Japanese woodblock printing.
Where does it hang well?
Its upright trunk and rising ivy suit a tall, narrow wall, so it works in a hallway, a kitchen, or beside a window, adding warm autumn colour to a calm room.
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Japan historical period: Showa 昭和 (1926-1989)
Check out other artwork of Ohara Koson
#Animal
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#Animal Portrait
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#Nature
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#Ohara Koson
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#Red
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#Shin-Hanga
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#Traditional Japanese Art
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#Tree
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#Woodpecker
