Monkeys

Monkeys are among the animals representing the twelve earthly branches of the Chinese and Japanese zodiac (Japanese: junishi), and a popular artistic subject throughout East Asia. Legend has it that the artist Mori Sosen was so fascinated by the monkey's nature that he captured them in order to paint them from life. The Japanese macaque pictured here is native to Japan and still survives there in wild tribes.
To make his monkeys believable, Sosen paints their details with meticulous care: note such features as the monkeys' deeply inset eyes, expressive faces, cauliflower ears, and lifelike fingers and toes. Also examine the way he paints fur: hundreds of fine, even ink lines brushed over shaded brown pigment convey the softness and texture of the monkey's thick outer coat.
Perhaps most importantly, the animals are posed to help us connect with their world. Like a mischievous child, the littlest monkey struggles to wriggle free; its mother restrains her baby with a gentle, but firm grasp.