Details

In Storm; Lick Observatory, Mount Hamilton, Chiura Obata captures the elemental tension of an approaching storm over one of California’s highest scientific outposts. Clouds sweep across the sky in layered motion, their presence heavy and charged, while below, the white dome of the observatory stands firm against the weather’s approach. The structure, a beacon of human inquiry, is nestled into a hillside that tilts away into a deeper, brooding distance. This is a scene not only of landscape but of atmosphere—a moment when the sky overtakes the land, and light and shadow shift in restless dialogue.

Produced in Tokyo at the Takamizawa workshop and supervised directly by Obata, this woodblock print translates the artist’s original watercolor into a dramatic yet contemplative image. The composition is balanced and intentional: swirling clouds echo the dome’s curvature, and the slope of the earth leads the viewer’s gaze upward and outward. The print stands as a vivid example of Obata’s ability to convey scale and mood through pared-down form and restrained color, even within a scene full of energy.

Connoisseur's Note

Obata’s portrayal of the Lick Observatory is more than a record of place—it is a meditation on contrast: the quiet resolve of the observatory, the restless churn of the storm, the presence of human effort in the face of nature’s volatility. The observatory, small but unshaken, seems to contemplate the heavens even as they roil above it. There is no sense of panic, only a recognition of the forces that shape and surround us.

What lingers is the feeling of anticipation. The moment is suspended—just before the wind rises harder, just before rain begins. It is this balance that Obata captures so masterfully: the coexistence of power and stillness, of scientific purpose and natural spectacle. For the collector, this print holds a rare blend of drama and quietude, and offers a glimpse into Obata’s singular vision—an eye attuned not only to form, but to feeling.