Color on paper
Signed Zen Hokusai Manji, sealed Katsushika
27.2 x 44.8 cm

A speck of life in the vast snow. Spotting food, a wagtail perches to pick its treat. Tremendous energy of life in the extreme cold is reflected in the bird's strong tail stretched like an iron wire and the belly showing a hint of warmth. A short instant of this wagtail landing in snow for its prey depicts swift and sharp movements of a small bird. Detailed observation and extraodinary skill of depiction are highlighted in this work.

*Click image for a further enlargement of this work.