Rooster and Hen in Spring | Watanabe Seitei 渡辺省亭 | 1852-1918

Watanabe Seitei is particularly famous for his depictions of chickens. He created many variations of this subject, but a fully realized, meticulously composed, large-scale painting by him on this theme is rare. His handling of the red combs of the two birds is striking; he makes them flare out both colorfully and formally. He skillfully combines this with the yellow of the beaks and feet to introduce the strong red accent into the light background of the picture. The black dots of the eyes and claws further intensify this striking, colorful focal point of the image.

In contrast, the white plumage appears light and airy because it is effectively barely painted. It is only discernible against a subtly tinted background and delicately light green accented grass. The gray of the plum tree branches makes the pair of chickens stand out clearly. The delicacy in the rendering of the tree's blossoms makes us feel as if we can almost smell the fragrance of spring.  

Watanabe Seitei's painting has truly become international; his works can be found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Art Institute of Chicago, and in many collections in Europe.