Ohara Koson (1877-1945), also known as Ohara Hōson and Ohara Shōson, was a renowned Japanese painter and woodblock print designer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born in Kanazawa as Ohara Matao, he is believed to have begun his training in painting and design at the Ishikawa Prefecture Technical School between 1889 and 1893. He later moved to Tokyo, where he produced some ukiyo-e triptychs illustrating episodes of the Russo-Japanese War. However, most of his work was prints of birds-and-flowers (kachō-e). He worked with several publishers and signed his work as Koson, Shōson, and Hōson. His association with publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō led to his work being exhibited abroad, particularly in the United States, where his prints sold well. He was active in designing prints until at least 1935. His work is held in several museums worldwide, attesting to his significant cultural impact. He is particularly known for his mastery of kachō-e (bird-and-flower) designs, and his work has been influential in carrying this genre into the modern era.
