Crow on a Cherry Branch 1910

Ohara Koson’s woodblock print captures a crow perched on a cherry branch. The bird has these claws tightly gripping the dark branch. I imagine Koson watching this crow and sketching it on a windy day. He’s an artist who’s playing with composition, thinking about how to balance the dark mass of the bird against the lightness of the cherry blossoms. The blossoms are like little clouds of white. And the crow, he’s really looking down, kind of pensive. I wonder what he is thinking? I think of other artists like James Ensor, who also loved birds. This print isn't just a picture of a bird, it's about seeing, feeling, and trying to capture a moment. It’s part of this ongoing conversation between artists across time.