The spiderweb 

Ohara Koson made this woodblock print depicting a bird, a spider and a spiderweb. His work belongs to the shin-hanga movement. This literally means "new prints", which revived traditional ukiyo-e art forms that had been in decline. In the early 20th century, Japan went through rapid modernization and Westernization. The shin-hanga movement arose as a response to these changes, seeking to preserve traditional artistic techniques. This print reflects the tension between old and new. On the one hand the artist depicts elements of the natural world. On the other hand he uses modern printing techniques to mass produce it. The image can be understood as a reflection on nature, technology and tradition. Koson was working during a period of intense cultural change. He was trying to reconcile the old ways with new developments.