Kiyomizu Temple and Heian Shrine, Kyoto

Maeda Seison was an extremely versatile artist who is best known for his legendary and historical themes rendered in a highly detailed and colorful manner. He was also adept, however, at ink painting. Inspired by the longstanding tradition of depicting Japan's meisho, or famous places, Seison frequently traveled in order to create his own renditions of notable views. The extremely high vantage point that Seison adopted for these two paintings reflects his innovative approach to composition. The manner in which he dabbed ink onto the surface of the paper, too, suggests that he was unfettered by traditional brush techniques.