Ducks at full moon 1900 - 1945

Ohara Koson made this print of ducks at full moon with woodblocks. I think about the painstaking process, layering color by color, carving away at the block, printing, carving, printing. Imagine the artist, considering the placement of each line. Look at how the branch cuts across the bright moon, and the way the blossoms are both there and not there, a few simple marks suggesting a whole tree in bloom. The ducks are so lovely, nestled together in the quiet moonlight. I feel the artist’s care. The choice to show these creatures at rest feels special. There's an exchange happening here—a dialogue between the artist and the world. It's a beautiful and delicate balance, like a dance between seeing and feeling. It makes me think about the quiet conversations artists have with each other, across time and space, learning from and building upon each other's work.