#oharashoson

Ohara Shöson (1877-1945), Dancing Fox, Japanese woodblock print, ca. 1910.

The artwork is representative of the Shin-hanga ("new prints") movement, which flourished in Japan during the early 20th century. Artists of the Shin-hanga style combined traditional Japanese woodblock printing techniques with Western-inspired realism, highlighting themes from everyday life, nature, landscapes, and folklore. Ohara Shoson was notably skilled in kacho-e (bird-and-flower prints), often extending his subjects to include animals depicted with expressive charm and delicate detailing.

Foxes, known as kitsune in Japanese culture, are often depicted in folklore as intelligent and magical beings capable of transforming their appearance.