National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

Kôrin showed himself at his best in gorgeous decorative pictures but also left brilliant works of art painted in India ink (suibokuga). This small screen depicts bamboo and plum trees, two items from the three friends of winter (three types of plants that can endure winter's coldness, pine tree, bamboo and plum tree). The bamboo is painted with slow and careful strokes, while the plum trees are painted with quick, simple strokes; in this way, Kôrin successfully integrated the contrasting brush techniques in the same screen.