Woodblock Print by Ohara Koson: Palanquin in the Night, Framed

Silhouetted bearers hurry a palanquin along the shore, a torch leading the way toward a red glow on the horizon.

This framed woodblock print, Palanquin in the Night, is by Ohara Koson (1877-1945), from Japan, and dates to around 1900, in ink on paper. Koson is best known for bird and flower prints, and his night scenes share their soft, graded color. Here dark figures and the boxy palanquin stand out against misty gray hills and pale water. A spot of orange fire burns at the far right. A cream mat and deep black frame surround it. It is 28.5 inches wide and 20 high, the image 14.6 by 5.

Someone is late, and everyone is being very discreet about it.