Question 1

What should I know about Ohara Koson's prints?

Accepted Answer

Ohara Koson (1877-1945) is known for his nature prints (kachōga). These often depict birds and flowers. His prints are usually signed 'Shoson', and a print of 'A Crow on a Branch Against the Setting Sun' is an example of his work in the tanzaku size, a long, narrow format. This print is from around 1915. Prints of this kind were often produced in series. Koson's work aligns with a tradition of nature-focused prints that developed alongside historical and mythical subjects.

Japanese woodblock prints involve collaboration. A publisher initiates the process, commissioning an artist's design. The artist creates a sketch and discusses colours and special effects with the publisher. The publisher then supervises production, employing engravers and printers. The artist's direct involvement in the production is minimal. Finished prints were sold in retail shops. Print sizes were limited by the woodblock. The ōban size is basic, but larger compositions use multiple sheets. Other sizes, like chūban and aiban, are mathematically related to the ōban.

Question 2

Why are Ohara Koson's works important today?

Accepted Answer

Ohara Koson (1877-1945) was a Japanese artist and printmaker of the late Meiji and Taisho periods. He is known for his woodblock prints of birds and flowers (kachō-e), a popular genre in Japanese art.

Koson's works are important today for several reasons. First, they represent a continuation of the ukiyo-e tradition, which began to decline after the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ukiyo-e were mass-produced, and not highly valued in Japan; however, they were seen as exotic works of art when they arrived in Europe. Koson's prints demonstrate a high level of technical skill, maintaining the quality of the medium.

Second, Koson's prints reflect a shift in the art world during the early 20th century. As contact with the outside world introduced new forms of printing, traditional woodblock printing began to lose its vitality. However, a revival of interest came with the Sosaku Hanga (Creative Print) movement, when a new generation of artists began to use the technique, influenced by European ideas of the print as an artistic method, rather than merely a means of reproduction.

His prints provide insight into this period of change and adaptation in Japanese art.

Question 3

What is Ohara Koson?

Accepted Answer

Koson is known for designing woodblock prints of birds and flowers in the kacho-e tradition. His prints often feature spare, precise compositions, isolating moments of stillness with a single bird against an empty background.

Question 4

Who is Ohara Koson?

Accepted Answer

Ohara Koson (1877-1945) was a Japanese artist who designed woodblock prints, mainly of birds and flowers. He is known for producing these prints almost exclusively for Western buyers.

Question 5

What techniques or materials did Ohara Koson use?

Accepted Answer

Ohara Koson was a woodblock print artist. The process involved several steps. Kozo paper, lightly sized, worked best for allowing colour to pass through it. The artist prepared a woodblock in reverse. Ink, pigment, and water were applied, without nori (rice paste). A baren (a flat, round pad) applied heavy pressure to transfer the colour. Larger areas worked better than fine lines.

Koson also employed kirazuri (mica printing). Mica was used instead of silver, because it did not discolour as easily. The background was printed in dark grey. It was overprinted with nori or nikawa (animal-skin glue), then sprinkled with mica while still wet. A stencil could mask areas for brushing with nori/nikawa before sprinkling. Excess mica was shaken off, and the print was allowed to dry. Gold, silver, or bronze powder could be used similarly. If mica or powders were mixed with the nori/nikawa and pigment, they lost sparkle. In some prints, the mica-printed area was crumpled (momigami) and flattened by resizing the print's back.

Question 6

Who did Ohara Koson influence?

Accepted Answer

Ohara Koson's artistic lineage can be traced through the Japanese art world of the Meiji and Taisho periods. Koson was not directly mentioned, but the woodblock printmaking scene saw a revival in the 20th century with the Sosaku Hanga (Creative Print) movement. This movement, influenced by European ideas, saw artists embracing printmaking as an artistic method, rather than a mere means of reproduction. Two well-known artists of this period were Onchi Koshiro (1891-1955) and Munakata Shiko (1903-1975). They replaced the traditional division of labour by being competent in all processes. This inevitably changed some of the ways in which prints were made. A few of the more time-consuming tasks were simplified, although the quality of the medium was maintained. The traditional materials were still used, and the new way of working revived some of the lost spirit of ukiyo-e.

In the post-war period, a generation of artists, including Miyashita Tokio, Funasaka Yoshisuke and Kurosaki Akira, experimented with mixing woodblock and etching and woodblock and screenprint which further broadened the range of the traditional technique.

Question 7

Who influenced Ohara Koson?

Accepted Answer

It is difficult to identify specific individuals who directly influenced Ohara Koson. Koson's artistic career occurred during a period when Japanese artists were synthesising traditional techniques with Western art movements.

Some researchers have noted the impact of Analytical Cubism, early Kandinsky, and Miró on artists of the period. Koson, like other artists, may have analysed the structure of paintings by Braque and Picasso, as well as works by Matisse and Mondrian. Koson's move toward a more abstract mode of representation, and his use of pure colour, may reflect the impact of European modernists.

Exposure to Impressionism, and movements such as the New York School, could have affected Koson's approach to composition and colour. The emphasis on surface-oriented figurative work, seen in Matisse, provided a means to move beyond abstract expressionism. Ultimately, Koson's influences likely stemmed from a mixture of Japanese artistic traditions and exposure to a range of Western styles.

Question 8

What is Ohara Koson's most famous work?

Accepted Answer

It is difficult to name one single work as Ohara Koson's most famous. He produced a large number of prints and paintings, mainly of birds and flowers (kachō-ga).

Koson's work gained popularity in Europe and America during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He is known for his skilled use of colour and his ability to capture the delicate details of nature. His prints often feature birds in natural settings, such as perched on branches or flying through the air. He sometimes depicted other animals, such as peacocks, monkeys, and carp.

Some of his better-known prints include "Crow on a Withered Branch", "Goose and Reeds", and various prints of birds and flowers of the seasons. Koson's work is held in many museum collections worldwide, including the Tokyo Imperial Household Museum.

Movements

Century

Popular movements

Where to See Ohara Koson

About Ohara Koson

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Aberdeen Archives, Gallery and Museums collections

🇺🇸 United States

Indianapolis Museum of Art

Minneapolis Institute of Art

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