Five seagulls above turbulent sea 1900 - 1930

Ohara Koson made this woodblock print of five seagulls above a turbulent sea sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century. I love the way the colours fade from blue at the top to a kind of sunset orange. The gulls themselves are so elegant, yet Koson captures the energy of their movement. Have you ever watched waves crashing against rocks? It's mesmerising! Here, the waves are rendered with these swirling lines, and the crests are tipped with white. The dark rock on the left grounds the image, but it's the birds that really bring it to life. Look at the nearest gull – its wings fully spread, the detail in each feather carefully delineated. It feels like it’s about to dive into the waves. There’s something so immediate about this print, in its play of light and shadow. Koson reminds me a little of Hokusai, another Japanese printmaker, in their shared ability to see the sublime in nature. Art is a conversation, right?