Flycatchers on a Nandina Bush — Ohara Koson

Snow falls in silence, and two flycatchers work the red berries of a nandina bush. One leans down from the branch above, beak parted; the other lands with wings still spread, feathers rendered stroke by stroke. Between them, the snow sits in heavy, rounded drifts — printed as bare paper, untouched, so the white you see is the sheet itself.

This is Ohara Koson at the height of his kachō-ga work (bird-and-flower prints), and it shows everything the genre does best: an ordinary winter moment given the full attention of a master. The nandina — nanten in Japanese, a plant associated with the New Year and with warding off misfortune — provides the only warmth in the composition, its coral berries and dark green leaves cutting through a field of grey and white. The signature in the lower left reads Shōson, the art name Koson adopted in his later career, when he worked with the publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō for an international audience of collectors.

Features

• Reproduction of a woodblock print by Ohara Koson (1877–1945)
• Two flycatchers on a snow-covered nandina (heavenly bamboo) branch
• Printed on thick, museum-quality matte paper (230 gsm)
• Produced from ultra-high-definition source files
• Restored colours faithful to the original: indigo, coral red, deep green
• Free worldwide shipping

Why Choose This Artwork?

Few artists balanced stillness and movement the way Koson did. The palette is quiet enough for a bedroom or a reading corner, but the red berries give the piece real presence on a wall — it holds a room without shouting. It pairs naturally with pale walls, light wood frames and neutral textiles, and sits just as well in a winter-themed grouping alongside Kawase Hasui's snow scenes.

Learn More

Discover the full Ohara Koson print collection and read about the artist's life and career. Explore more  or browse our vintage bird prints.

Curious why these images are back in fashion? Read Why Natural History Prints Are Making a Comeback.