Caption:
Crows Flying at Sunset, c. 1888, Shibata Zeshin, Japanese, 1807 - 1891, 9 1/2 x 9 15/16 in. (24.13 x 25.24 cm) (sheet), Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Japan, 19th century, As the artist's signature in the lower right indicates, Zeshin designed this print when he was eighty-one years old. Having begun his artistic career as an apprentice in a lacquerer's atelier at the age of eleven, Zeshin had a long and productive career up until his death at age 86. This print reveals that Zeshin's sense of artistry remained vital even in his later years.