Old Boar in Snow

One of the animals of the Chinese zodiac, the boar is frequently depicted in Japanese art, often as a gentle creature dozing in bush clover, suggesting the arrival of autumn. The steep viewpoint and cropping of this painting present a more confrontational, even dangerous beast. The large format of this painting suggests it was painted for public exhibition, and indeed in 1900 (the year of the boar) Ōkoku was awarded second prize for his painting of a wild boar submitted to the Kyoto Art Society Exhibition.