Angle Fish

This print from Ohno Bakufu's Dai Nihon Gyorui Gashu series depicts a fish identified in English as 'Angle Fish,' likely a variant title for a species also called angelfish or a related deep-bodied species. Ohno's series documented over a hundred fish species found in Japanese waters, combining the precision of ichthyological study with the formal qualities of Japanese woodblock printing. The subject is rendered with attention to the body's characteristic geometry: the compressed lateral profile, the arrangement and proportion of fins, and the patterning of scales or skin. Fine keyblock lines define the contours, while successive color blocks build up the body's tonal variation. The print belongs to a body of work that has been recognized as a significant contribution to both printmaking history and the natural history of Japanese marine life.