This work by Kayama Matazo depicts a single goose seated with bated breath in a grassy spot by the waterside. It is rendered solely in monochromatic black ink and engenders an atmosphere that could be considered a new type of ink painting. The grasses in the foreground are expressed in bright white and are layered to beautiful effect, while the varying shades of black amidst the gray color of the background produce a rhythmical sensation. This piece was displayed at a solo exhibition of the artist’s work that was held at the Janet Nessler Gallery on Madison Avenue in New York City from March 13 to April 1, 1961. Comprising a total of thirty-eight paintings, including one entitled Birds in the Forest, this exhibition was realized through the joint sponsorship of the Japan Society, which was founded in 1907 with the goal of encouraging mutual understanding and cooperation between the U.S. and Japan. This must have been a highly significant occasion for introducing the existence of a new and fresh style of Japanese painting in an area where Japanese art was not yet very well-known at the time. For Kayama, who had just the previous year tried his hand at lithography for the first time, and in the beginning of this same year tackled the medium of folding screens with gold foil ground, it was also an exhibition and body of work that presented an opportunity for formulating his own attitudes toward painting that went beyond previous notions and techniques of Japanese painting and were more relatable to a broader global audience.

Kayama Matazo (nihonga painter; 1927−2004)
Kyoto-born nihonga painter. Graduated from the Kyoto City School of Arts and Crafts and the Tokyo School of Fine Arts. A student of Yamamoto Kyujin. Received awards such as the Japan Art Award from Shincho Arts Promotion, the Ministry of Education Award of the Art Encouragement Prizes, and the Japan Association for the Promotion of Arts Award. Appointed Tama Art University and Tokyo University of the Arts professor. Member of Soga-kai. Designated as a Person of Cultural Merit and received the Order of Culture.