Five seagulls above turbulent sea 1900 - 1930

This print of five seagulls above a turbulent sea was made by Ohara Koson, and I imagine it was a kind of meditation. The artist is arranging a dance between sea, land, and sky. The gulls stretch and turn, echoing the waves. The sky is graded like a Rothko. The waves crash like Hokusai. But the gulls are more gentle, soft gray brushstrokes over their white wings. There's a bit of anxiety, the way they dive down, but overall, it's a hopeful image, don't you think? I wonder what Koson was thinking as he planned it out, how long it took him to find just the right rhythm and balance. He probably wanted to convey a feeling, a sense of place, and maybe, just maybe, a little bit of himself. It reminds me of the work of other painters who found the sublime in nature, like Whistler. The exchange of ideas across time is so important. It's inspiring!