Hares and Roses

Date:: c. 1783
Medium:: Color woodblock print; hashira-e
Format:: Hashira-e
Source:: Art Institute of Chicago

Typical Price

Later reprint (Meiji–Taisho era publishers): $50–$400
Good later impression (Edo-period, worn blocks): $2,000–$8,000
Good early impression (vivid color, crisp key lines): $8,000–$30,000
Fine early impression (exceptional freshness and condition): $30,000–$60,000

Hokusai's bird-and-flower (kacho-e) prints are prized for their naturalistic observation and painterly sensitivity. Fine impressions from his horizontal oban series regularly appear at specialist Japanese print auctions.

Description

Two hares huddle beneath the arching stems of roses in this [hashira-e](/glossary/hashira-e) (pillar print) from around 1783, the tall narrow format demanding a vertical composition that Hokusai resolves through intertwined plant forms. Hares and flowers appear frequently in Hokusai's early decorative work, their combination suggesting both seasonal freshness and the gentle, auspicious imagery favored for interior decoration.