Ohara Koson – Wading Egret with Reeds

Japanese woodblock print. The first edition of this design was published circa 1930. The current print dates from circa 1930s.

Ohara Koson depicts a wading egret with reeds next to it. There is a closely related design from before the earthquake of 1923, published by Daikokuya. The current print is from a design created circa 1930 by a different publisher, with some dealers listing the publisher as Kawaguchi & Sakai, but Nishinomiya being listed in “Crows, Cranes and Camellias” as an alternative possibility.

The current print is from a prewar edition, but not a first edition. The reeds are not as crisp as in earlier editions and it seems that the color block used to print the body of the egret has been recarved.

Image size (excluding margins): 23.9 * 24.5 cm (9.4 * 9.6 in).

The print is in excellent condition.

The pictures shown here are from the print itself.

References: AK14.15 in Crows, Cranes & Camelias. The natural world of Ohara Koson.

See an overview of Ohara Koson's woodblock prints