Eagle on branch 1900 - 1910

Ohara Koson made this woodblock print of an eagle on a branch, likely sometime between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The palette is muted – various shades of grey, brown, and a touch of red on the bird's beak. Imagine the artist, Koson, carefully carving each line into the woodblock, and then layering the inks to create this image. There's a tension between the eagle’s sharp focus and the soft rain that blurs the background. I'm sympathetic to the artist, here, thinking about the focus, and how they had to look closely to capture the texture of the feathers, the curve of the branch, and the glint in the eagle's eye. And also the confidence: look at how those steely-eyed gazes go right through you, and then look at the claws on that branch! Japanese printmakers had a way of seeing nature that many other artists, including me, have found so compelling. I love the conversation they have set in motion.