Ohara Koson (1877-1945) was a famous kacho-ga artist specialising in Japanese-style paintings and prints of flowers and birds. Active during the late 1800s until his death in 1945, Koson’s works mainly consist of prints of the floral and feathered kinds, which catered to Western tastes. While many of these works were exported to the United States and Europe, they were less known in his native country. It’s only in recent years that Koson’s works are gaining due recognition in Japan.
The Ota Memorial Museum of Art will be the first major art institution to introduce Ohara Koson in Tokyo. 150 works of the artist’s creations as well as hand-painted base photos and prints revealing Koson’s production process are on display until March 24.