Shell- oban
by Kaoru Kawano
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Format:
- Oban
- Edition:
- Self-printed
- Source:
- Japanese Art Open Database
by Kaoru Kawano
$500–$4,000. Common subjects: $500–$1,500. Key value factors: Kawano's early death at 49 limits her output. Her dreamlike figure prints are most sought after.
A shell — likely a seashell of striking form — is presented in [oban](/glossary/oban) format with the care Kawano brought to natural objects he found particularly beautiful or resonant. Shells had appeared in Japanese art as symbols of beauty, the sea, and romantic love (in the context of shell-matching games at court), and Kawano's depiction honors this cultural richness while transforming the object into a vehicle for graphic exploration of form. The spiral or curved geometry of a shell offered compositional possibilities distinct from his figurative subjects.
1940
Woodblock print
1934
Color woodblock print; oban
Boshu Taikai
1925
Color woodblock print; oban
September 1931
Color woodblock print; oban
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Shell- oban was created by Kaoru Kawano (川野薫).
Shell- oban depicts seascapes and still life.
