Carp
by Ohara Koson
- Date:
- 1926
- Medium:
- Color woodblock print; oban
- Format:
- Oban
- Dimensions:
- 36.2 × 24.1 cm
- Publisher:
- Watanabe Shozaburo
- Edition:
- Published by Watanabe Shozaburo
- Source:
- Art Institute of Chicago
Description
Carp — the powerful freshwater fish of great longevity and persistence in Japanese culture — appear in this 1926 oban print with the muscular vitality that made them such frequent subjects in Japanese art. Koson renders the carp with close attention to the scales' overlapping pattern, the fins' translucent membranes, and the body's flex as the fish moves through water. The carp's association with perseverance and ambition gave the subject cultural weight beyond its visual appeal; his treatment honors both dimensions.
More Prints by Ohara Koson
Cat and Goldfish
c. 1928–1930
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Heron or Egret
c. 1900–1945
Woodblock print
"Snipes and Reeds," 1926 and "Wild Ducks and Pampas Grass"
Two woodblocks in colors (framed separately)
Magpie with Pink and White Magnolia Blossoms
Shōwa period, circa 1931
Woodblock print in "ōban" format; ink and color on paper
More Fish Prints
Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Carp was created by Ohara Koson (小原古邨) in 1926.
Carp was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (1926).
Carp depicts fish and animals.
Carp measures 36.2 × 24.1 cm (Oban format).