Plum blossom and full moon 1900 - 1936

This woodblock print of plum blossom and full moon, made by Ohara Koson, speaks of subtle observation and gentle harmonies. I wonder, was Koson struck by a particular moonlit scene, or did he carry a memory of one in his mind? The way the dark, twisting branch reaches across the moon… it almost feels like an embrace. And then, those blossoms, so delicately rendered, each petal catching the moonlight. You know, the way he’s used the texture of the paper, it’s almost as if we're feeling the cool night air on our own skin. I find myself pondering the connection between art, nature, and memory, and thinking about the way these paintings offer a window into the artist’s world, and our own.