The Owners of the Chinsho-en (Flowering Camellia Garden) 

In 1970, Nakajima Kiyoshi left Ooka-cho, Yokohama (now Ooka, Minami-ku), where he had lived for many years, and moved to a Yokohama suburb that is now known as Onda-cho, Aoba-ku. He loved the verdant Onda and every day went out to walk and sketch. The subjects of this painting are the politician Suzuki Kenichi, and the calligrapher Mrs. Shoko, two friends that he often visited on his walks. Both loved camellia flowers, and they referred to their residence amongst the camellia bushes as Chinsho-en (Flowering Camelia Garden). Kiyoshi painted the couple's idyllic summer afternoon from the perspective of a visitor on the porch. The contrast between the detailed depictions of the dogs, cats and tatami mats up close with the more abstract depictions of the people and hedge in the back is noticeable. A bright orange color is effectively used to highlight the outlines of the people, as though to emphasize the dazzling sunlight.
(UCHIYAMA Junko)