Boot in de regen 1900 - 1940

Yamamoto Shoun's 'Boot in de regen' is a woodblock print, and like most prints, it’s all about process. The way the ink sits, the slight imperfections, they are so beautiful. You can almost feel the rain. Look at the texture of the trees on the left. The black ink is really built up, giving them this dense, almost ominous feeling. Then your eye drifts over to the boat, so small, being tossed about. There is this incredible sense of vulnerability. The whole piece is imbued with a muted palette; a mix of blues and grays, like the ink is dissolving and the water’s rising. It reminds me of some of Whistler’s nocturnes, where he was also trying to capture these fleeting, atmospheric moments. Art’s not about answers, it’s about how to keep asking the questions.