115 - Koson: Crow on a Snowy Bough

Ohara Koson: Crow on a Snowy Bough

This is a kachô-e by Ohara Koson (1877-1945), who was a brilliant artist when it comes to kachô-e within the shin hanga movement.

Kachô-e is a subgenre of ukiyo-e, shin hanga and Japanese art in general. Originally, its motives were flowers and birds, but more generally, it comprises flora and fauna. 

Japanese names are written with the family name first. Artists are mostly signing with their given name or a pseudonym. Ohara Koson signed his works "Koson", later "Shōson", and sometimes "Hoson".

This print, Crow on a Snowy Bough, was made some time between 1900 and 1910.

114 - Nishikawa Sukenobu: On the Wisdom of Animals

Nishikawa Sukenobu: On the Wisdom of Animals

Nishikawa Sukenobu (1671-1750) was one of the earliest ukiyo-e artists; it is possible he was Harunobu's teacher, but that cannot be verified.

I have not been able to establish from which exact year this print is, but the colour print was still not invented.

113 - Shōtei: Katsushika

Shōtei: Katsushika

Takahashi Shōtei (1871-1945) is considered as the creator of a style called shin-hanga. That means "new prints" and refers to a revival of ukiyo-e and is, in fact, evolved ukiyo-e.

The term was coined by publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō in 1915. He wanted to mark that it was not commercial mass art as ukiyo-e had been; contrary to ukiyo-e, it was also directed mainly to a western audience. Shin-hanga never became popular in Japan.

112 - Utamaro: Three Lucky New Year Dreams

Utamaro: Three Lucky New Year Dreams

This is a Benigirai-e by Utamaro from about 1800: Three Lucky New Year Dreams: Fuji, Falcon, Eggplant.

Benigirai-e translates to "picture hating red". It's a style where the artist avoids using red or reddish tones. It was fashionable in the 1780s.