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My Pet Horse- LE — 馬 by Kaoru Kawano — Japanese Woodblock print

My Pet Horse- LE — 馬

by Kaoru Kawano

Medium:
Woodblock print
Image courtesy of
Japanese Art Open Database

Description

The kanji title (馬, uma) confirms the subject as a horse, and the 'My Pet Horse' titling suggests an intimate rather than heroic treatment — a familiar animal rather than a symbol of power or battle. This limited edition print represents an animal subject atypical of Kawano's primary figure-based output, though the sosaku-hanga tradition valued the exploration of diverse subject matter as evidence of the artist's personal vision. Kawano's expressive carving style would translate well to an equine form: the strong outline he applied to his bijin-ga figures adapts naturally to the muscular contours and flowing mane of a horse. The print may present the animal in close profile or three-quarter view, emphasizing the animal's physical presence at the expense of environmental context. Color would likely be limited — a few flat tones differentiating coat, mane, and ground — maintaining the graphic economy characteristic of his work. As a limited edition, each impression was individually signed, placing this modest domestic subject within the same fine-art framework as his more celebrated figure prints.

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Frequently Asked Questions

My Pet Horse- LE — 馬 was created by Kaoru Kawano (川野薫).

My Pet Horse- LE — 馬 depicts animals.