Wind God

In May 1961, Insho's solo exhibition was held at the Artists' Club in Torino as one of the events marking the Centenary of Italian Unification. About 60 works mainly comprising recent abstract paintings but also including some representational paintings were displayed. This painting was exhibited in pair with another six-panel screen, Thunder God. Energetic black and white lines, probably representing winds, against a gold background seem to emit strong power. The traditional Japanese motif of "Wind God and Thunder God" has been taken up by many artists ever since the Edo-period painter Sotatsu. In this painting, Insho preserved the spiritual tradition of the motif while presenting a new interpretation using modern forms.