By Mori Sosen
Late Edo period (19th century)
Homma Museum of Art Collection
Designated Cultural Property of Sakata
Mori Sosen was a Japanese painter of the Shijō school during the Edo period. While famous for his many paintings of monkeys — the Dutch orientalist and diplomat Robert van Gulik called him “an undisputed master” of the painting of the Japanese macaque — he also painted other animals, such as deer, boars, and peafowl.
This charming and endearing painting depicts a lone monkey grooming its fur. It demonstrates Sosen’s ability to beautifully capture scenes from the everyday world of monkeys.