Moor Hen
- Date:
- c. 1928–1930
- Medium:
- Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
- Dimensions:
- 39 × 21.3 cm
- Source:
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
Key value factors: Edition order (first Watanabe/Doi printing vs. posthumous reprints) is crucial. Snow scenes, night views, and bijin-ga typically command premiums. Publisher seals and artist signatures authenticate first editions.
A solitary moorhen picks its way along the margin of a pond, its dark body set against soft washes of color that suggest water and aquatic plants. Komori Soseki printed this ink and color woodblock around 1928-1930, a period when [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) publishers were commissioning nature subjects that could appeal to both Japanese and Western collectors. The moorhen's compact body and deliberate gait are observed with evident familiarity, the kind of detail that comes from sustained watching rather than studio invention. Soseki's printer employed subtle [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) shading to give depth to the water, creating a sense of space around the bird that amplifies its solitary presence.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Moor Hen was created by Komori Soseki (小森漱石) in c. 1928–1930.
Moor Hen depicts birds & flowers and rivers & lakes.
Moor Hen measures 39 × 21.3 cm.
