Lapwing on Tree Stump
by Ohara Koson
- Date:
- 1920s
- Medium:
- Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
- Format:
- Oban
- Dimensions:
- 34.1 × 18.3 cm
- Publisher:
- Watanabe Shozaburo
- Edition:
- Published by Watanabe Shozaburo
- Source:
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
by Ohara Koson
Koson's vast output of ~450 designs spans birds, flowers, fish, insects, and occasional landscapes. While his large production keeps most prints accessible, early Kokkeido-period impressions with muted, elegant Meiji-era coloring are distinctly more sought after than the brighter later Watanabe editions.
A lapwing stands on a weathered tree stump, the bird's distinctive black-and-white plumage and crested head rendered with Koson's characteristic precision. The lapwing's spiky crest and the stump's gnarled surface create a composition of complementary textures — smooth feather against rough wood, the bird's living warmth against the dead material of the stump. Produced in the 1920s, this print shows his mastery of the single bird on simple support format.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Lapwing on Tree Stump was created by Ohara Koson (小原古邨) in 1920s.
Lapwing on Tree Stump was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (1920s).
Lapwing on Tree Stump depicts trees.
Lapwing on Tree Stump measures 34.1 × 18.3 cm (Oban format).
