1877/1878 -1945 · Japan, kachô-ga and shin-hanga

Birds captured instantly, light branches and moonlit nights make Ohara Koson a modern master of Japanese flower and animal prints.

Ohara Koson was born in Japan in 1877 or 1878 and died in 1945. Also known under the names Shôson and Hôson, he became one of the great specialists in kachô-ga, the image of birds and flowers. From a precise observation of nature, he designs vertical compositions of great economy: a bird, a branch, a few leaves, snow or a crescent moon are enough to create a season and an atmosphere. His works extend ukiyo-e techniques while participating in the revival of shin-hanga, which brings together artist, engraver, printer and publisher to produce color prints intended for Japan and the international market. Owl on a branch associates the detailed plumage, ginkgo and the moon in a balance of vigilance and silence. Sparrows and bamboo contrast the liveliness of small birds with the graphic flexibility of the stems. Koson never describes the animal as an isolated specimen: he connects it to the wind, light and the cycle of the seasons. The finesse of the color blocks and gradients thus gives each scene a presence that is both naturalistic and poetic. The "Ohara Koson" selection thus gives each scene a presence that is both naturalistic and poetic. The "Ohara Koson" selection notably compares Owl on a Branch and Sparrows and Bamboo. His reading favors color.

Koson reduces the landscape to just the right moment: a flapping wing, a curved branch and a crescent moon are enough to make you feel a whole season.