Rooster and chicken 1900 - 1930

Ohara Koson made this print of a rooster and chicken sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century, using woodblock printing. The paper is awash with a cool grey, like the muted light of early morning. I imagine Koson carefully carving each line into the woodblock, a process of slow, deliberate mark-making, cutting away at the surface to reveal the image. It's like the opposite of painting, where you add material. Here, Koson subtracts. I can imagine the rooster preening and puffing out its chest, wanting to look its best. Maybe Koson felt the same when he was making this artwork. You know, like you want your painting to look its best. The delicate lines of the bamboo in the background remind me of Japanese calligraphy, each stroke precise and full of intention. But they're also like quick, gestural marks in painting, where one line can capture a whole feeling. And that is kind of magical when you think about it. Koson's chickens connect to a long history of painters observing the natural world, and maybe that history connects to you too!