Rooster and chicken by Ohara Koson

Rooster and Chicken is a Japanese color woodblock print by Ohara Koson, created during the late Meiji or Taishō period. Executed in the kachō-e (bird-and-flower picture) tradition, the work portrays a rooster and hen with remarkable attention to plumage, posture, and natural character. Koson’s refined use of color gradation and delicate linework captures both the decorative beauty and quiet realism of rural Japanese life, reflecting his mastery of wildlife subjects.

Ohara Koson (1877–1945) was a leading figure in the shin-hanga (“new prints”) movement and is celebrated for his depictions of birds, animals, flowers, and natural scenes. His prints blend traditional Japanese aesthetics with subtle realism and sophisticated printing techniques. Today, Koson is regarded as one of the finest wildlife printmakers of modern Japan, and his works are highly sought after by collectors worldwide.