Kamisaka Sekka, who was active in Kyoto from the Meiji to the Showa period, was a designer and painter who carried the spirit and style of the Rinpa school into the modern era. This work beautifully contrasts the white plum blossoms just beginning to bloom with the red berries of the marlberry. The trunk of the plum tree is painted using the Rinpa technique of tarashikomi (in which a second layer of paint is applied before the first layer dries), and the blurred appearance of the green moss seems to convey the layered passage of time and the quiet life dwelling within the tree.

The bold composition of the plum branches extending across the tall vertical format, together with the simple yet decorative floral design, highlights Sekka’s unique modern sensibility. Harmonizing a classic Japanese subject with new creative expression, this work is a masterpiece that embodies Sekka’s distinctive style and represents the modern Rinpa school.