Kraai op besneeuwde tak. 1900 - 1936

Ohara Koson's 'Crow on a Snowy Branch' is a print that probably dates from the early 20th Century. Imagine the artist's hand carefully carving the woodblocks, one for each colour, then layering those colours with extreme precision to bring this scene to life. The palette is so minimal. Pink and white, with the stark black crow. Koson has played with positive and negative space in an interesting way. The crow is perched firmly on the snow-covered branch, rendered with delicate lines against the soft, atmospheric background. Was Koson thinking about Japanese poetry? Perhaps the crow is a symbol, a metaphor for something deeper. Either way, it's a reminder that artists are always in conversation with one another across time and place, building on each other’s ideas. It’s a very direct way of seeing, and a beautiful piece of image-making.