Squirrel and grapes

A squirrel clinging to a grapevine laden with fruit is a subject with long precedents in both Chinese and Japanese decorative painting, combining the energy of a small animal with the ornamental density of clustered grapes and turning autumn leaves. Kotozuka would have used multiple blocks to render the purple-blue tonal range of the grape clusters, with careful registration ensuring the round fruits read as three-dimensional forms rather than flat shapes. The squirrel's fur texture, printed with fine-line carving on the keyblock, contrasts with the smooth fruit surface. Leaves in autumn yellow and red add a third visual texture. The composition belongs to the [kacho-e](/glossary/kacho-e) tradition while demonstrating the more decorative, nature-study orientation of some of Kotozuka's non-landscape work.