Moriichi Kumagai (1880–1977) was a Western-style painter born in Gifu Prefecture. Over the course of his long career, he moved away from realistic expression to develop a concise style characterised by bold contour lines and clear blocks of colour. By observing familiar subjects—such as cats, birds, insects, flowers and plants, and corners of gardens—he conveys a distinct sense of vitality using just a few shapes and colours.

At first glance, his paintings appear naive and simple; yet it is precisely because he has stripped away superfluous detail that the essence of his subjects remains vividly captured. One can sense the result of prolonged observation in the depiction of a cat’s form or the shape of a leaf. Their quiet, unpretentious yet unforgettable presence is what makes them so captivating.