Fishing Fox
1870-1890
Kawanabe Kyōsai, a 19th-century Japanese master often dubbed the 'Goya of Japan,' captures a moment of cautious curiosity with a fox peering at a small trap in the grass. Painted with bold, wet ink strokes, the animal has an almost comical, hunched appearance, its heavy dark fur contrasting sharply with delicate, scratchy whiskers. Kyōsai was famous for his lightning-fast brushwork and love of the supernatural; foxes (kitsune) were shape-shifting tricksters in folklore, and this sketch likely comes from one of his many beloved albums where he practiced capturing their mischievous spirit.
- Technique
- Ink wash
- Material
- Paper
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