A pair of ducks by a lotus pond
- Date:
- 1879
- Medium:
- Color woodblock print; oban
- Format:
- Oban
- Source:
$1,500–$40,000+. War prints, common subjects: $1,500–$5,000. Key value factors: The early Tokyo views with Western light effects are his most prized works. War prints are more common and less valued.
"A pair of ducks by a lotus pond" is a [ukiyo-e](/glossary/ukiyo-e) / Meiji modernization nature study by Kobayashi Kiyochika, created during the Meiji period. This work belongs to the [kacho-e](/glossary/kacho-e) (bird-and-flower) tradition, one of the most celebrated genres in Japanese art.
Kobayashi Kiyochika brings characteristic sensitivity to this naturalistic subject, combining precise observation with poetic atmosphere. The composition balances the living subjects with their environment, creating a scene that feels both scientifically accurate and emotionally resonant.
The technical execution reveals the sophisticated printmaking tradition behind this image — from the precise registration of multiple color blocks to the subtle gradations that give depth and luminosity to the natural subjects.
This print represents Kobayashi Kiyochika's contribution to the ukiyo-e / Meiji modernization tradition during the Meiji period. As with all works by this artist, it reflects both individual artistic vision and the broader cultural moment in which it was created. For collectors and admirers of Japanese printmaking, it offers a window into the sophisticated aesthetic world that produced some of the most beloved images in art history.
A pair of ducks by a lotus pond was created by Kobayashi Kiyochika (小林清親) in 1879.
A pair of ducks by a lotus pond depicts birds & flowers and rivers & lakes.
