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Moorhen Birds
by Shoson Ohara (1877-1945)- Koson

Original caretaker of this artwork: eBay

	Artist:	Shoson Ohara (1877-1945)- Koson — 小原祥邨、小原古邨
	Title:	Moorhen Birds
	Series:
	Date of first edition?:	Not set
	Publisher (first edition)?:	Watanabe Shozaburo — 渡辺
	Publisher (this edition)?:	Watanabe Shozaburo — 渡辺
	Medium (first edition):	Woodblock
	Medium (this edition):	Woodblock
	Format (first edition):	Mitsugiri
	Format (this edition):	Mitsugiri
	DB artwork code:	43922
	Notes (first edition)?:
	Notes (this edition)?:	The following information was taken from the original web listing of this artwork. Note that there may be some inaccuracies: I recently purchase a large collection of original Japanese Woodblock prints dating from the 1700's to the mid 1900's. All are original and all are from the same collection of Japanese fine arts. The collector lived in Japan before WWII and returned in 1946. He was a professor and major collector. Please see my other auctions for great Japanese antiques, original woodblock prints and other Asian items. Again, all these items are from one collection and fresh to the market. Up for auction is an original antique Ohara Koson(Shoson) Japanese woodblock print dating from the early part of the 1900's. Features Moorhen birds next to an Iris flower and was published by Watanabe. This is an early original and signed as seen below. Great detail and design by this famous artist. Condition is excellent for its age. Has no holes, no tears, no water damage, no creases or folds. The color is great with no fading or discoloring. Has a little wear around the edges and is nothing major. Also no cuts and the woodblock print has not been trimmed. Measures approx. 15 1/8 by 6 7/8 inches. Very rare original woodblock print and would look great framed. Found safely stored away for years at a recent 95 year estate of along time collector and from a smoke free home.
	Artist Bio:	Ohara Koson (小原 古邨?, Kanazawa 1877 ? Tokyo 1945) was a Japanese painter and printmaker of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, part of the shin-hanga ("new prints") movement. He was born Ohara Matao; it is thought that he started training in painting and design at the Ishikawa Prefecture Technical School in 1889-1893. He also studied painting with Suzuki Kason (1860 ? 1919), although accounts differ on whether this happened during his school years or after he moved to Tokyo in the middle to late 1890s. In Tokyo, he produced some woodblock triptychs illustrating episodes of the Russo-Japanese War, but most of his production was prints of animals (kacho-ga). He worked at first with publishers Akiyama Buemon (Kokkeido?) and Matsuki Heikichi (Daikokuya), signing his work Koson. Starting around 1926, he became associated with the publisher Watanabe Shozaburo, and signed his work Shoson. He also worked with the publisher Kawaguchi, signing his works Hoson. Through his association with Watanabe, Ohara's work was exhibited abroad, and his prints sold well, particularly in the United States. He was active designing prints until at least 1935, and died at his home in Tokyo in 1945. (from Wikipedia)