Year of the Cow Woodblock Print Animal by Shin Kogei

This is a woodblock print cow from the series of animals made by Shin Kogei of Hida-Takayama in Gifu

Shin Kogei were founded in Hida-Takayama in the snowy north of Gifu prefecture by a local artist, and their shop is a location to visit within the town. Hida-Takayama was an important castle settlement in the Middle Ages, and today has a fine tradition for wood craft.

Shin Kogei use wood to make their printing blocks. Designs are transferred to the woodblocks, before being hand dyed onto natural cotton. Each colour designates a different block used, showing the time spent on each. The animals are filled with natural casks and hand sewn.

This is a special edition to commemorate the year of the cow, 2021.