Jewel Cat
by Motoi Oi
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Watanabe Print
- Image courtesy of
- Watanabe Print
Description
This print likely depicts a cat adorned with or surrounded by jewel-like decorative elements — gems, beads, or ornamental patterns — that give the image a richness distinct from Oi's more plainly observed animal subjects. The 'jewel' quality may be achieved through small, dense color areas printed with high saturation, creating points of visual intensity across the composition. The cat itself serves as the central form, with decorative elements distributed across its body or framing environment. Multiple color blocks would be required to achieve the variety of hues implied by the title. The combination of a naturalistic animal subject with decorative embellishment has precedent in Japanese lacquerware and textile design, where flora, fauna, and ornament are regularly combined.






