虫を追う雀図

Koson was one of the foremost Japanese designers of bird-and-flower prints (kachō-e). About 1900 the American Ernest Fenollosa persuaded Koson to send his paintings to the United States, where there was a growing interest in traditional Japanese art. Koson also started working with several print publishers, but in 1912 he decided to dedicate himself solely to painting and changed his name to Shōson. He also apparently continued to create some prints using his former name. Because his early prints are not dated and he used different signatures randomly, the issue is yet to be resolved. This painting and its intimately related print may prove to be important pieces in the puzzle.