Tsubaki Chinzan was a literati painter active in Tokyo during the first half of the 19th century. Celebrated for his benevolent and principled demeanor, he was deeply esteemed by his master, Watanabe Kazan (1793–1841). Chinzan excelled in the depiction of birds and flowers, creating works that beautifully integrated realism and ornamentation, which left a significant mark on the artistic landscape.
This work is an album that Chinzan compiled, copying Watanabe Kazan's renowned Flowers and Birds series. The album consists of nine paintings and concludes with a transcription of a discourse on painting by Watanabe Kazan. Each painting corresponds to poems or literary writings, which are inscribed on either the right or left side of the image. The eighth scene in this collection illustrates a poem by Northern Song poet Mei Yaochen (1002–1060), titled Winter Grass. The painting depicts a jay bird and withered grass in front of a rock, rendered with brushstrokes that convey the cold of winter. In the bird’s expression, there appears to be a sense of anticipation and hope for the coming spring, reflecting the poem’s themes. This specific scene is particularly valuable for understanding Watanabe Kazan’s work, as the Flowers and Birds series by Kazan that contained this image has been lost.