Japan, early 20th century (1910s–1920s, Meiji/Taishō period) This atmospheric sheet is the work of master Ohara Koson, who left an indelible mark on the history of Japanese prints with his kachō-ga (bird-and-flower picture) designs. Unlike his later works published under the name Shoson, this print bears his famous earlier signature and seal, Koson, which he used during his prolific collaboration with the publisher Daikokuya. The scene captures with masterful subtlety a snipe standing in shallow waters among reeds, turning its long beak upward toward the night sky. What makes this print technologically exceptional is the depiction of heavy rain using thin, sharply carved vertical lines. The muted, earthy tones of the bird and the darkly shaded background lend the entire scene the quiet, melancholic atmosphere of an autumn storm.