Taikan Yokoyama (1868–1958) was born in Ibaraki Prefecture and is regarded as one of the leading figures in modern Japanese painting. He studied at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts and, under the tutelage of Okakura Tenshin, helped to establish the Japan Art Institute. Moving away from the traditional style reliant on contour lines, he pursued a new form of Japanese painting that expressed atmosphere and light through the blending of colour and ink. Many of his works depict Mount Fuji, as well as landscapes and nature, in majestic compositions, and he is regarded as one of the key figures who led Japanese painting into the modern era. In 1937, he was awarded the Order of Culture (First Class).

When viewing Taikan’s works, one is struck not so much by the form of the landscape itself as by the atmosphere that pervades it and the sense of spiritual expansiveness. In his depictions of Mount Fuji in particular, one senses a conscious effort to portray the mountain not merely as a scenic feature, but as a symbol of Japan on a grand scale. Rather than merely depicting nature, Taikan’s paintings appear to express his own ideals and spirit on the canvas, whilst borrowing the form of nature. The coexistence of boldness and tranquillity is a major source of Yokoyama Taikan’s appeal.