<b>BATS AGAINST FULL MOON</b> / Ohara Koson20th Century<b>SOLD</b></em>

Details

In a quiet evening, a gentle wind rustles bamboo; the blushing full moon mounts a canopy of trees as bats emerge in and out of the night's haze. Koson so eloquently captures the poetry of this sight it is no wonder why the artist is considered the Audubon of Japan. Melding a keen eye for observation with a profound artistic prowess, Koson produced some of Japan most beautiful kacho-e (bird and flower prints). This design’s impact lies in its proficiency in the world of observation, accurately capturing the bats in their natural habitat and merging a Western artistic perspective with qualities of sumi-e to produce an emotional night scene worthy of the most discriminating collector.

Connoisseur's Note

Scholarship on Koson is lacking, and not much information has been published at identifying first state designs versus later printings. There are, however, some rules of thumb. In the case of this design, the earliest impressions bear the red seal of the artist at the bottom left (later impressions lack this seal), as well as margins on all four sides. Granted, prints often suffer trimming, so it is the seal that will be an instant giveaway to the state of printing. Other noteworthy aspects of this design are the subtle printing throughout, but most evident in the skillful application of bokashi color gradation in the background as well as the gray used in the bamboo leaves and the silhouette of the bat at the bottom portion of the design. Also worthy of mention is the slight touch of yellowish-orange in the moon, missing on impressions that are faded or later states.