Ohara Koson (小原 古邨?, Kanazawa 1877 – Tokyo 1945) was a Japanese painter
and print designer 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 (kachō-ga). He worked at first with publishers Akiyama Buemon
(Kokkeidō) and Matsuki Heikichi (Daikokuya), signing his work Koson. Starting
around 1926, he became associated with the publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō, and
signed his work Shōson. He also worked with the publisher Kawaguchi, signing
his works Hōson.
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
