Butterflies, Birds & Wildlife · horizontal

Gilded Crossing, Two Koi in Deep Blue Water

Two koi swim close together in dark blue water. The upper fish is bright gold-orange with a pale mottled patch on its back, and the lower fish has a purple-orange scaled body and a flowing tail. Small bubbles and reflections dot the water, which is rendered in thick, painterly strokes.

A collector wants this one because the gold-orange koi glows against deep cobalt water, so the colour hits first and the fish second. Two koi pass close together with tails trailing, and the water swirls in thick, visible marks around them. Many koi pictures are calm, pale and decorative. This one is saturated, dark and rich, and it has a painterly surface that holds up close.

Artwork by Omaste Witkowski