Children Fishing

Children Fishing (Sakana-tsuri wo suru kodomo), from around 1906, shows young children engaged in the patient pastime of angling. Shoun's color woodblock renders the scene with a warmth typical of his depictions of childhood, treating the small figures with affection rather than sentimentality. The children are absorbed in their activity, their postures reflecting the focused stillness that fishing demands even of the youngest practitioners. The waterside setting allows Shoun to work with reflections and the particular quality of light near water, while the children's expressions and body language tell a story of concentration, anticipation, and the pleasures of a simple outdoor pursuit.