Mallard Ducks

A pair of mallard ducks rests near the water's edge in this woodblock print by Komori Soseki. The drake's iridescent green head and chestnut breast are rendered with layered color impressions that suggest the sheen of wet plumage, while the hen's mottled brown feathers blend into the surrounding vegetation. Soseki frequently returned to waterfowl as subjects, observing them with a patience that borders on field study. The composition places the pair low in the frame, surrounded by grasses and reeds that create a natural enclosure. This intimate viewpoint, as though the viewer has quietly approached without disturbing the birds, is a hallmark of Soseki's nature prints.