Mori Sosen “Monkey and Bat”

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IItem No.
Title	“Monkey and Bat”
Overall size	188.0cm×48.0cm
Artwork size	107.0cm×37.0cm
Artist	Mori Sosen (1747?~1821)
Date Created	1804-1821
Price	￥1,000,000（excluding tax）

A monkey turns its head, mouth agape as if saying, “Oh?” In the direction of its gaze, a bat flies with the moonlight behind it.
　Monkeys have long been cherished as auspicious motifs because the pronunciation of “kou” (猴) is similar to “kou” (侯), meaning a feudal lord. Similarly, bats (bat) are beloved because the pronunciation of ‘fuku’ (蝠) is similar to “fuku” (福), meaning good fortune.
Combining these two auspicious subjects, this work likely embodies a wish for someone’s happiness and a heartfelt desire to support them.
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　Mori Sosen (1747-1821) was a painter active in the late Edo period. He initially used the name “祖仙”, but changed it to “狙仙” in 1807. He excelled at realistic and delicate animal paintings, gaining popularity mainly in Osaka.

As an antique, it may have some scratches or blemishes. We recommend that you visit our store to check the condition.
If you wish, we will send you detailed photos of the item, so please feel free to contact us.