Windswept Pines

Techniques characteristic of Yokoyama’s work can be seen in this piece, such as the dripping of blue-green pigment over wet ink in a technique known as tarashikomi.* Sonarematsu, or windswept pines, are pine trees that grow near the shore, stretching sideways rather than vertically due to the strong sea breeze. The depiction conveys the steadfastness of the pines amidst harsh conditions. This imagery has, since ancient times, inspired a sense of living nobly and courageously in the Japanese people. The way the pine trees and waves have been rendered is thought to have been inspired by the painted screen, Waves at Matsushima (TAWARAYA Sōtatsu, active circa 1600-1643), currently held by the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. From the seal, it can be inferred that this piece likely dates from the early Shōwa period (1926-1989).