Eagle Flying Down 1900 - 1930

Ohara Koson made this dynamic woodblock print, Eagle Flying Down, sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. The grey hues and diagonal lines create a rainy, windswept atmosphere, where the eagle appears both powerful and vulnerable. What strikes me is the way Koson layers the grey tones to create depth and movement. The texture of the paper adds another layer, almost like a subtle grain running through the scene. Look at how the white streaks suggest both rain and the force of the eagle's descent. It’s a beautiful example of how the physical materials of art, like paper and ink, can evoke a whole world of feeling. Koson's work reminds me a bit of Whistler's atmospheric prints, in the sense of capturing a fleeting moment with such delicate precision. Both artists show us that art isn't about fixed meanings, but about embracing the ambiguity and beauty of the world around us.