Ogata Korin ( 1658 1716) woodblock print

Japan ,mid  20 C,

titled; from; Flowers of the Nation series, "Deer and Maple"

after the original Edo 17/18 c painting.

good condition. unbacked

seal and signature lower right

12 x 8 in

shipping;usa; 16.00

worldwide; 46.00

bio

 Best known for his screen paintings of botanical subjects and abstract decorative designs, Ogata Kōrin was born to an aristocratic Kyōto family in 1658. His extravagant lifestyle as a young man led to a squandered inheritance, and Kōrin was forced to create art to support himself. Luckily, he had casually studied painting for many years, first under the tutelage of his father and then under Yamamoto Sōken of the Kanō school. This school was praised for a flat, decorative treatment of subjects that sometimes privileged formal composition over naturalism.

Though depicted here as daintier and with a proportionally longer neck than our native whitetail deer and mule deer, sika deer are comparable in size. One of the few deer species to retain their spots into maturity, sika deer (Cervus nippon) are common throughout mainland Asia as well as nearby islands. So why does this deer appear to be a fairly uniform gray color? Japanese subspecies of sika deer have subtler patterns than their continental counterparts. And what’s up with this guy’s neck beard? The fiery maple leaves give us a clue – sika deer pelage darkens and becomes shaggier in the colder months. Speaking of trees, this is most likely an Acer japonicum ‘Aka omote,’ or Full Moon maple, a tree that is revered for its broad, simple palmate leaves and vibrant red-orange autumnal foliage.