Little Egrets in flight 1925 - 1936

Ohara Koson made this print of 'Little Egrets in Flight', sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century, using the woodblock technique. The way the subtle grays mix and bleed together suggests that the process of image-making was as important as the final composition. The texture in this piece is all about layers: the delicate, almost transparent strokes that suggest the weeping willow, and then the opaque white of the birds’ feathers. Notice the way the light catches the tips of their wings, each feather individually articulated with a few simple cuts. It's a good reminder that even in something that appears simple, there’s a lot of labor and attention to detail involved. Looking at this, I’m reminded of James McNeill Whistler’s interest in Japanese prints, and how he used a similarly muted tonal palette in his paintings of the Thames. Both artists seem to suggest that art is about creating a mood, a feeling, rather than just representing reality. And maybe that's what makes it so compelling.