A pair of mandarin ducks, the brightly marked male and the softer brown female, after a bird study by Ohara Koson (1877–1945). Koson was a leading hand in kachō-e, the bird-and-flower tradition, working within the shin-hanga movement that renewed Japanese woodblock craft in the early twentieth century. The two birds are observed closely and set down with warmth and economy.
The print is a colour woodblock, made from a separate carved block for each colour, inked and pressed in register onto dampened paper. Koson's strength is the quiet accuracy of his birds: the male's patterned wing and crest against the plainer female, the two read as a settled pair rather than a display piece.
On a wall the image is warm and companionable. In East Asia the mandarin ducks, or oshidori, have long stood for devotion and lasting partnership, which gives the print a gentle meaning as well as a calm look. It sits well over a sideboard or beside a reading chair, alongside oak, linen . . . Read More >>
A pair of mandarin ducks, the brightly marked male and the softer brown female, after a bird study by Ohara Koson (1877–1945). Koson was a leading hand in kachō-e, the bird-and-flower tradition, working within the shin-hanga movement that renewed Japanese woodblock craft in the early twentieth century. The two birds are observed closely and set down with warmth and economy.
The print is a colour woodblock, made from a separate carved block for each colour, inked and pressed in register onto dampened paper. Koson's strength is the quiet accuracy of his birds: the male's patterned wing and crest against the plainer female, the two read as a settled pair rather than a display piece.
On a wall the image is warm and companionable. In East Asia the mandarin ducks, or oshidori, have long stood for devotion and lasting partnership, which gives the print a gentle meaning as well as a calm look. It sits well over a sideboard or beside a reading chair, alongside oak, linen and ceramics.
Each print is made to order on thick, smooth fine art paper, or framed behind shatter-resistant acrylic, or as a satin-coated cotton canvas. Choose the format that suits your wall.
Frequently asked questions
What does this print show?
A pair of mandarin ducks, the brightly marked male and the softer brown female, after a bird study by the shin-hanga artist Ohara Koson.
How was the original made?
As a colour woodblock print, with a separate carved block inked for each colour and printed in register onto dampened paper.
What do the mandarin ducks symbolise?
In East Asia, mandarin ducks, or oshidori, are a long-standing emblem of marital devotion and lasting partnership.
Where does this print look best?
In warm, calm rooms such as a bedroom or living room, over a sideboard or beside a reading chair, alongside oak, linen and ceramics.
<< Read Less
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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#Ducks
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#Kacho-e
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#Mandarin Ducks
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#Nature
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#Ohara Koson
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#Shin-Hanga
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#Snow
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#Traditional Japanese Art
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#Water
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#Wildlife
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#Winter
