Hiroki Oda (1914–2012) was a Western-style painter born in Fukuoka Prefecture who was particularly active within the Nika-kai art society. He repeatedly depicted scenes such as the streets of Paris and girls wearing hats, and through the use of thick layers of paint and softly blurred forms, he created a unique world that seemed to hover between dream and reality. He is also known as a member of the Japan Art Academy.

His depictions of women possess not only a sense of glamour but also a certain melancholy, as if they were gazing into the distance. By not strictly defining the contours and leaving a sense of fluctuation in the colour and brushstrokes, he seems to capture even the figures’ memories and moods. The way melancholy is interwoven with sweetness leaves a lasting impression.