Saigō Kogetsu (1873–1912) was a painter born in Nagano Prefecture who sought new forms of expression in Japanese painting during the Meiji period. He studied under Hashimoto Gahō at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts and was a contemporary of artists such as Yokoyama Taikan and Hishida Shunsō. He was also involved in the founding of the Japan Art Institute and, unbound by the conventions of traditional Japanese painting, sought to capture not only the atmosphere and light but also the very essence of nature on the canvas. Although he specialised in landscape painting and, having died at a young age, left behind a relatively small body of work, he remains an indispensable figure when discussing the innovative period of Meiji-era Japanese painting.

Kogetsu’s works possess a delicacy that seems to gently capture the tranquil atmosphere lingering over mountains and waters, rather than seeking to portray the grandeur of nature. His pale colour palette and soft brushwork also convey a sense of solitude and poetic sentiment. His works appear to aim to depict not the forms of nature themselves, but rather the atmosphere that lingers in one’s heart when standing in that very place. There is something deeply compelling about his attitude throughout his short life: his determination to trust his own sensibilities and explore a new form of Japanese painting.