Kwaadaardige wind, liefdevolle wind- middelste deel 1908

This is Kwaadaardige wind, liefdevolle wind- middelste deel by Kosugi Tengai, and I am looking at it right now. I think it might be useful to consider how this cover has come into being. The mottled green is like a kind of weather. The whole surface has a gorgeous aged quality that makes me want to reach out and touch it. Imagine the artist working on this; what were they thinking? And what was it like to create something with such incredible skill and sensitivity? The artist is in conversation with other cover artists. I imagine them all thinking about surface and texture, the balance between the textual and the decorative. This cover is not trying to trick me; it is inviting me to enter into the world of the book, a green portal of sorts. When we look at art, we’re not just seeing the final product. We’re also witnessing the process, the artist’s thinking, and the ongoing conversation between artists across time. It's really all about exchange, isn't it?