Garden in spring

In the period of 1897-1906, Shunso tried various methods to express the air and light with Taikan and Kanzan by blurring the contour of the subject and delicately gradating the intensity of colors. The fruit of his research into the drawing method, “vague style” unprecedented in Japanese painting, is applied also to this work. Shunso did not divide the sky and land with the horizon. Instead, he used madder red in the sky on the moist screen, and painted fresh grass on the ground. He blurred the boundary with a dry brush to create beautiful gradation to produce a dream-like quality of the garden filled with soft light. It is late spring after cherry blossom. The azalea is at its full bloom and a pair of fantails are snuggling against each other on the fresh green lawn in the garden. Their peacock-like tails are charming. Feathers are pure white in contrast to the deep scarlet of legs. Also, it is noticeable that the azalea is also painted with red and white. The combination of red and white is traditionally considered good luck and indispensable to celebrations. The intimate look of the pair may suggest that this work was specially created as an auspicious present for a happy marriage.