Seiko: Two moorhens
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Okuhara Seiko (1837-1913) attr.

Two moorhens (Gallinula chloropus) between reed grass in the dark.

Signature: Seiko 静湖

Seal: Seiko 静湖

Publisher: (Matsuki Heikichi - Daikokuya, Tokio)

Date: C. 1903-1910

Original Japanese colour woodblock print. Size: Shikishiban, 23,9 x 25 cm (overall)

Excellent impression, colours and condition.
Illustrated in Rappard-Boon, The Age of Yoshitoshi. Japanese prints from the Meiji- and Taishô periods. Amsterdam, 1990, p. 99, no. 138. Rijksmuseum Collection no. RP-P-1989-219. Also ill. in Andon no. 76, p. 41, fig. 1a. Cf. also Smithsonian, Robert O. Muller Collection, No. S2003.8.2123 and MFA Boston, RES.51.136.
Very often the fine bird depictions bearing this signature (despite the different spelling of the first character) are attributed to the famous woman painter Okuhara Seiko (cf. British Museum, MFA Boston, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam and others). Merrit and Yamada (Guide, p. 133) leave the attribution open. A very convincing attribution to the kacho-e artist Watanabe Seitei (1851-1918) is made by Neumann and Schaap in Andon no. 76, 2004, pp. 40ff.

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