Mori Sosen (1747–1821) was a painter active mainly in Osaka during the late Edo period. He specialised in particular in depicting monkeys and was widely known as ‘Sosen the Monkey Painter’ due to his skilful rendering. By meticulously observing everything from the texture of their fur and their posture to the movements of their limbs, he created works that went beyond mere realism to convey the monkeys’ personalities and emotions. A key characteristic of Sosen’s work lies in his portrayal of animals as endearing beings.

When viewing Sosen’s monkeys, one finds an intriguing quality: rather than simply depicting animals, it feels as though he is portraying individual characters. The wary expressions, the gestures between parents and offspring, and the sense of distance between companions are all rendered so naturally that, the more one looks, the more small stories seem to emerge. I believe the great appeal of Mori Sosen’s works lies in the warm gaze evident within his meticulous observations, which allows the viewer to feel the vitality of these animals as if they were right beside them.