Green Maple and Waterfall

This painting depicts the splendid flow of water from a huge waterfall. The hanging scroll composition, about the height of an adult human, shows the straight descent of the waterfall and the black boulders in the pool beneath the falls. A green leafed maple tree branch extends across the top of the composition, giving a fresh and vivid sensibility to the scene. Okyo (1733-1795) often painted such waterfall scenes. The title inscription written on the right side of the composition was brushed by Okyo’s close friend Minagawa Kien (1734-1807). The inscription by Okyo, “Tenmei hinoto hitsuji chuto sha Okyo” [Tenmei 7 (1787) mid winter, painted by Okyo], indicates that the painting was created during the winter of Okyo’s 55th year.