Koson: Pigeons in flight
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Ohara Koson (1877-1945)

A pair of pigeons in flight, yellow ginkgo leaves are sailing through the autumnal air.

Signature and seal : Koson

Publisher : Matsuki Heikichi (Daikokuya), Tokyo

Date: c. 1910

Original Japanese colour woodblock print. Size: Vertical Ôtanzaku (Mitsugiriban), 36,2 x 18,7 cm (overall)

Excellent early excellent impression and colours, with some gofun white. Well visible wood grain. Untrimmed, retaining the unprinted paper margin in top. Lower left corner minimally creased, else excellent condition.
A rare image, here in an especially fine and rare colour variant, with light grey background and yellow ginkgo leaves. Completely unfaded – the delicate pink-colour of the beaks and feet is perfectly preserved.
Ill. In Reigle Newland/Perrée/Schaap, Crows, Cranes and Camellias, The natural world of Ohara Koson 1877-1945, Leiden/Boston 2010, p. 196, K36.7. Cf. Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, RP-P-1999-453 (dark variant with reddish-brown leaves). Cf. also Japanische Kleinkunst, Elberfeld, n.d. (c. 1900), SLUB Dresden, sig. 92054306.

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