Ohara Koson, Hollyhock and Dragonflies, color woodblock print, 1934. Signed Shoson with the artist's red seal Shoson, lower right.
A superb, lifetime impression, with fresh, vivid colors and pronounced woodgrain, printed on cream wove Japan paper; the full sheet in excellent condition. Published by Watanabe Shozaburo with the copyright 'C seal' in the lower left margin, indicating a first or early impression printed between 1929 and 1942. With the MADE IN JAPAN stamp (used between 1921 and 1939) applied to a small rectangle of Japan paper and laid onto the sheet, bottom center, verso, indicating an impression designated for export. Rare.
Archivally sleeved, unmatted.
Image size 14 3/8 x 9 7/16 inches (362 x 240 mm); Sheet size: 15 1/4 x 10 3/8 inches ( 387 x 264 mm).
Literature: Crows, Cranes and Camellias: The Natural World of Ohara Koson, Newland, Amy R., Jan Perrée & Robert Schaap, Leiden: Hotei Publishing, 2001, pg. 201.
Collections: Chazen Museum of Art, Toledo Museum of Art.
ABOUT THE IMAGE
In Japanese culture, dragonflies (tonbo) have long been admired for their tireless flight and apparent mastery of the air. Hollyhocks (fuyō), depicted here in full bloom, are likewise valued for their towering growth and exuberant seasonal presence. In this print, Koson appears to emphasize the visual dialogue between the jewel-like dragonflies and the rising hollyhock stalks, capturing a fleeting atmospheric transition as early-morning light shifts from warm gold to translucent blue. The scene invites the viewer to linger in an appreciative moment of nature's wondrous equilibrium.
