Sneeuwlandschap met de berg Fuji 1900 - 1910

This woodblock print, made by Ohara Koson, features a snow-covered landscape with Mount Fuji in the background. I can imagine Koson at his desk, carefully carving away at the wood, then applying the ink and pressing the paper, each layer building up this snowy scene. The color palette is muted, mostly grays and whites, which creates a sense of stillness and calm. Look closely at the dots of white scattered across the sky and mountain - can you see the falling snow? And the small figures crossing the bridge – what are they thinking? What do you think they might be thinking as they trudge through the snow towards the majestic Fuji? There's a quietness and solitude here that reminds me of other landscape artists like Hiroshige, or even some of the Hudson River School painters. Artists like these have an ongoing conversation across time, each inspiring the other’s creativity.