Heron in the Rain
by Ohara Koson
- Date:
- Shōwa period, circa 1928
- Medium:
- Woodblock print in "ōban" format; ink and color on paper with embossing
- Format:
- Oban
- Dimensions:
- 38.7 × 25.9 cm
by Ohara Koson
Koson's bird-and-flower prints are his most numerous and accessible works — he designed ~450 prints total. Common subjects in average condition remain widely available. Quality of impression, color fidelity, and publisher seal (Kokkeido preferred over Watanabe) are the key value drivers.
A heron stands in rain with the dignity that Koson consistently bestowed on his wading birds — the long neck held steady, the eyes alert, the body undeterred by weather. This oban-format print uses embossing alongside the standard woodblock technique, adding a tactile quality to the bird's plumage and the rain's impact on the water surface. Koson signed this impression "Shoson," one of several names he used across his career, and the Showa-period dating places it within his most celebrated productive decade.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Heron in the Rain was created by Ohara Koson (小原古邨) in Shōwa period, circa 1928.
Heron in the Rain was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (Shōwa period, circa 1928).
Heron in the Rain depicts birds & flowers and rain.
Heron in the Rain measures 38.7 × 25.9 cm (Oban format).
