Monkey and reflection of the moon 1900 - 1936

Ohara Koson made this print, “Monkey and reflection of the moon,” and I like the old way of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the world that's on display here. First, I notice the blue-gray palette. It feels like twilight, and then there's that perfectly round, bright moon. The monkey is hanging precariously by one hand, as if to reach out and touch its reflection. The moment feels so fleeting—as if a gust of wind could end this encounter. The surface of the moon is so quiet and still. What was Koson thinking when he made it? I imagine him working, re-working, trying to get that shape just right. The gesture of that reaching hand, it's so vulnerable and tender. It feels like a conversation with other artists and their work, all the many depictions of animals in art history. Artists are always looking, always reaching, always hoping to capture something just beyond their grasp.