Accompanying Okakura Tenshin, who worked as an adviser at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Yokoyama Taikan travelled to the United States in February, 1904 (Meiji 37). In the following year, Taikan, together with Hishida Shunso and Rokkaku Shisui, held an exhibition at the Century Association in New York as a start, a show in Boston in autumn, and a duo with Shunso at the National Arts Club in New York in next January. In the upcoming spring, Taikan and Shunso consigned to Henry Graves Co. in London for the travelling exhibitions in Europe and in America. Including Spring Ocean, all twenty pieces of work by Taikan were unveiled at the Nihonbashi Club in Tokyo from April 2 to 4, 1906 (Meiji 39) ahead of the Japanese painting exhibition, a joint show with Shunso and Saigo Kogetsu, in London and in Paris.

Today, works made for the exhibitions in Europe and in America are left a few, for example, The Sea: Moonlight by Taikan in the Fukui Fine Arts Museum and Evening Forest by Shunso in the Iida City Museum, both of which are for the exhibition in New York. Compared to the above-stated ones, the present work was also intentionally produced for the Western viewers. Meanwhile, one of the works exhibited at the Nihonbashi Club is titled Cuckoo, same as the present work, suggesting Taikan should show his confidence in Moro-tai, a technique of omitting the ink contours, though it is depreciated in his homeland, would be acknowledged abroad.

Yokoyama Taikan (nihonga painter; 1868−1958)
Ibaraki-born nihonga painter. His real name is Hidemaro. Became a dicsiple of Okakura Tenshin and Hashimoto Gaho. Assisted Tenshin in the founding of Nihon bijutsuin (Japan Art Institute), and played an active role as the core member. Also appointed to a jury in Bunten (Ministry of Education Art Exhibition). Played an influential role in the modern nihonga history from Meiji to Postwar era. Designated as an Imperial Court Artist and a Person of Cultural Merit, and received the Order of Culture.