Oirase Ravine (Autumn)

Already past the age of 70, Gensô decided that he could make large-scale works up until the age of 80, and thus set him self the task of creating one large-scale work a year. First he spent three months painting this work, and then around four years later he created Oirase Ravine (Spring) in about the same scale. In the autumn scene the river flows from left to right, while in the spring he shows the opposite flow, thus intentionally setting up a contrasting pair of compositions. Among the seasons of the year, Gensô was particularly fond of the new foliage and autumn foliage periods when "you could most strongly sense the soul of nature." He said about Oirase, "My body becomes impatient to welcome the new foliage and autumn foliage seasons." This work with its stunning palette gave rise to the color term, Gensô red.