Barn Swallow in flight
by Ohara Koson
- Medium:
- Mokuhanga (Japanese woodblock)
- Image courtesy of
- Saru Gallery
Description
A single swallow with deep blue-black wings and a pale buff breast swoops diagonally downward in the upper half of the composition, its forked tail and long wingtips sharply angled against a plain cream sky. Below, a cresting grey-blue wave breaks into white foam and spray, rendered in curling striated lines that fill the lower half of the sheet. The artist's seal appears in the lower left corner. Ohara Koson's mokuhanga print isolates the bird's swift motion against the wave's turbulence, with no other figures or setting elements present.
More Prints by Ohara Koson
Cat and Goldfish
c. 1928–1930
Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
Heron or Egret
c. 1900–1945
Woodblock print
"Snipes and Reeds," 1926 and "Wild Ducks and Pampas Grass"
Two woodblocks in colors (framed separately)
Magpie with Pink and White Magnolia Blossoms
Shōwa period, circa 1931
Woodblock print in "ōban" format; ink and color on paper
More Birds & Flowers Prints
Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Barn Swallow in flight was created by Ohara Koson (小原古邨).
Barn Swallow in flight depicts birds & flowers.