Heron or Egret
by Ohara Koson
- Date:
- c. 1900–1945
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Format:
- Oban
- Publisher:
- Watanabe Shozaburo
- Edition:
- Published by Watanabe Shozaburo
- Source:
- Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
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 or egret rendered without the certainty of species identification — a reminder that even Koson, who was meticulous about species accuracy, sometimes produced prints where the exact bird was ambiguous either in his source material or in subsequent cataloging. The long-legged wading bird stands or moves through its habitat with the careful poise that Koson rendered across dozens of prints. His heron and egret subjects collectively form a sustained study in the formal possibilities of the long-necked, still-water bird.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Heron or Egret was created by Ohara Koson (小原古邨) in c. 1900–1945.
Heron or Egret was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (c. 1900–1945).
Heron or Egret depicts birds & flowers.
