Japanese Print Couple with a dog

The year of the Dog is coming to an end so to finish it here's an image of a young couple playing with a dog or throwing treats that look like rice balls to a dog? Whether this is a pet or a street stray I don't know. perhaps its not a couple but a brother guarding his sister while they walk to the shops or a temple? Perhaps.

Dog Watching a Bird

#yearofthedog #japanesebookcover

We tend to forget #ukiyo-e is a design style applied not just to prints of actors or landscapes or pinup geisha girls but also other paper objects like this book cover showing a dog watching a bird flying overhead.

The artist is not Hokusai or Hiroshige and the line work is rough but it has depicted the personality of the dog and a look of keen intelligence.

Lacquer Pups

#japaneselacquer #yearofthedog

A lovely work showing a relatively restrained usage of metallic powders and some excellent line work in the detailing of the leaves and fur with the focus on detail contrasting with the fuzzier looser patterning of the moon and foregrounds ans making full us of the black background to deepen colors and contrast. I liked the observation of detail that shows the artists had seen real puppies and wasn't just copying from a print or painting. The depiction of one puppy playing with a spring of bamboo and the other quite relaxed while scratching gives it a touch of realism that counterbalances the lushness of the gold powder and glossy black lacquer.

Year of the Dog East Meets West

A certain painter best known of his horses also created an album of dog portraits in a fusion style.
Yes I'm talking #Castiglione again ! The posture also works with the pattern of branches above and the white flowers in the foreground complement the dogs white chest patch. Ink is used to suggest shadow and form in a way compatible with Imperial Court Standards but also clearly showing Western influences.

More Year of the Dog art soon!

Goodbye Rooster Hello Dog

#shunman, japaneseprint, rooster, dog,yearofdog,

Its a bit hard to make out the dog due to the use of surfeit and raised relief but since the Year of the Dog doesnt start until next month perhaps thats ironic? The Rooster is still bold and strong.

Our year of mostly bird theme posts gives way to dogs, canines and other animals who include the canine radical in their characters, so we'll be dealing also with foxes, wolves, and the curious case of the zhi beast amongst other themes and why Chinese has Chuan and Chow !