Man en paard 1900 - 1910

Curator: Let’s pause for a moment here, in front of Ohara Koson's "Man en paard," created sometime between 1900 and 1910. Look at the delicate tones! Editor: It’s so quiet, almost hushed. The water looks cold. I imagine that small figure in the print is freezing but compelled, in service to the horse, their working companion. Curator: Exactly. This work, done with ink and colors on paper, embodies Ukiyo-e, a popular style of Japanese printmaking from the Edo period. Koson masterfully blends traditional techniques with his unique perspective. Editor: Ink on paper. Labor intensive! These prints speak volumes about a whole matrix of labor, from papermaking, ink production, the felling of the tree to make woodblocks, the work of the printer carefully inking the block... Curator: The lone figure and horse become almost monolithic silhouettes. It really draws the eye into the emotional core of the scene, focusing on this co-dependence between the man and animal. Editor: The material scarcity somehow emphasizes that emotional link. The minimal use of ink underscores labor, and evokes quiet perseverance in the face of hardship. Curator: I feel there's almost a melancholic tenderness—the bond isn't overt but there. Look at the way the man’s hand almost caresses the horse. Editor: Yes! It reminds us that the production and consumption of art always involves relationships, economic realities, and yes, quiet, desperate beauty, such as that shared here, perhaps unwillingly, by horse and human. Curator: What I find truly moving is Koson’s ability to create such intimacy with such incredibly reduced means, focusing instead on light and shadow, gesture and posture. Editor: Absolutely. These prints are artifacts that speak volumes not only about aesthetics, but also about lives lived, materials handled, and work undertaken. It’s humbling.