Quails

Two quails rest among grasses and slender flowering stems on a plain cream ground: one stands with head bowed low, its mottled brown, black, and white plumage catching the light, while the other sits low to the ground nearby, head turned to the side. Thin blades of grass and a small flowering plant with blue and pink blossoms frame the birds, and the artist's seal appears in red at the right alongside a brush-written signature. Muted earth tones dominate, giving the scene a quiet, still mood. Mokuhanga (Japanese woodblock print) by Ogata Gekko; year unknown.