Shirakura Nihō (1896–1974) 
Landscape 
Japan, c. 1926–1974 
Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper 
Gift of Terry Welch, 2021 (2021-03-082)

VIEW HI-RES IMAGE 
 
The foreground of this painting is dominated by airy pines growing from a stand of large rocks, built up from dense but delicate brushwork. Beyond the pines is a tiny scholar dwarfed by the landscape, still visible due to his bright white robe. The scholar sits in a relaxed position, looking past a veil of mist to admire a waterfall in the distance, situated within an ethereal mountain valley. 
 
In the 1940s, Nihō’s style transformed from the bold, often hectic manner of his early years to more restrained, balanced compositions that emphasized spacious compositions and light colors. He remained a central figure in the art world, being appointed as a juror to the annual national exhibition in 1941, an honor he would continue for the next two decades.