Two carps 1900 - 1910

Ohara Koson painted these two carps in watery blues and greys, and you can almost feel the brush dancing across the page. The way the fish are rendered, there's this sense of movement, like they're suspended in the flow, twisting and turning. I can imagine Koson, brush in hand, trying to capture that fleeting moment of the fish gliding through water. What I love about this is the use of space – all the pale blues, drawing you into the depths of the water. It’s like Koson wants us to feel the coolness, the quietness, of their world. It makes you think about how much artists borrow from each other, reaching back across time and place. Each brushstroke is a conversation with the past, a nod to those who came before, and an invitation to those who will follow. Painting really is about keeping the dialogue going, isn't it?