[Audio Guide]
This painting depicts the head and shoulders of a young girl wearing a sailor-style school uniform, seen from behind. The parting in her hair lines up perfectly with the path between the rice fields—an unusual concept that will cause many viewers to smile. The artist’s skill in realistic representation is noticeable when looking at the painting’s details. Aida has used the traditional Nihonga approach of meticulous depiction, seen in each of the individual rice plants, the farming village in the background, the sheen of the pigtails, and the pliability of the wispy hairs at the nape of the girl’s neck. Such a composition is unforgettable from even a single glance, and here it has been exquisitely combined with a traditional Nihonga technique to create a truly remarkable work. A characteristic painting from Aida’s early period, this work is modeled after Road, a masterpiece by the leading postwar Nihonga artist, Kaii Higashiyama.
