Three Raccoon Dogs

Mori Sosen was celebrated for his depictions of monkeys, but he also excelled at capturing the character of other animals. This painting shows a group of three raccoon dogs (tanuki). The naturalistic posing—one scratching itself, seemingly listening; one directly staring at the viewer; and the third open-mouthed with its tongue extended—illuminates Sosen’s in-person observations of these wild animals. This may be an interpretation of the Chinese proverb typically illustrated with gesturing monkeys: “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”