[Audio Guide]
The “Yoshino” in the title refers to Mount Yoshino in Nara Prefecture. Since ancient times, the mountain has been renowned for cherry blossoms that burst into bloom sequentially, from the rugged foothills to the summit, tinting the mountain slopes pale pink and entrancing visitors down through the centuries. In this vertically formatted painting, the scenery is rendered in layers, one atop another. There is a notable difference in the atmosphere and expression above and below the house in the center. The upper half of the painting shows the contours of Mount Yoshino, worshipped as a sacred peak, seen faintly in the distance through the rain, producing an awe-inspiring, otherworldly impression. Meanwhile, the lower half presents a more intimate view. Groves of trees are crisply outlined in dark sumi ink, while the houses along the mountain path, and horses and people in straw raincoats descending the mountain, are lightly rendered with minimal lines and colors, conveying the rhythm of everyday life. This work conveys the artist’s refined sensibilities in depicting Mount Yoshino, balancing its sacred and secular aspects, in a scene shrouded in mist and rain tinged with cherry blossom hues.
