Twee karpers 1900 - 1930

Ohara Koson made this woodblock print of two carps with watercolor-like colours sometime between 1900 and 1930. You can almost feel the artist patiently carving the wood, meticulously inking the block, and carefully printing the image to paper. I wonder, was he trying to capture the feeling of being underwater, or the slippery, scaled skin of the fish? I can imagine him watching the fish swim, considering the movement of water and light. The pale colours and subtle shading create a sense of depth, as though you’re looking into an aquarium. I love how the patterns on their skin overlap and blur, and how this enhances the sense of motion, as if the fish are constantly moving through water. Works like this always remind me that artists are constantly in dialogue with each other, borrowing and expanding upon ideas. Koson must have been inspired by the Japanese Ukiyo-e tradition, but he also brought something new to the table. Painting for me is very similar: a process of ongoing exploration where meaning emerges through the act of making.