Flowers of a Hundred Worlds (Momoyogusa): Rooster (Chabo)

About this work

A black rooster stands in profile against a pale pink background. Its feathers are outlined in ink, then filled with soft watercolor washes. The bird’s comb is bright red, its feet a warm yellow. Tiny buds and grasses dot the edges of the page. Sekka made loose sketches first on tracing paper. He adjusted the curves of the rooster’s neck and the spread of its tail before printing the final design. Printed versions are crisp and balanced, but the rough drafts show how playful his hand could be. If you like these lines, look up Kamisaka Sekka (Japanese, 1866–1942) next.