A pair of six-panel folding screens by Maruyama Ōkyo, depicting the seasonal contrast between a humid summer night and a snow-covered winter day.

This pair of six-panel folding screens, titled Summer Night; Winter Day, represents the technical mastery of Maruyama Ōkyo. As the founder of the Maruyama school, Ōkyo sought to bridge the gap between traditional Japanese decorative arts and Western-influenced naturalism. He achieved this through a technique known as shasei, or sketching from life, which prioritised direct observation of the natural world over the stylised conventions of the Kano school. The upper screen depicts a summer night, characterised by a soft, atmospheric wash of ink that suggests the humidity of the season. The moon hangs low, casting a gentle glow over the quiet terrain. The lower screen presents a winter day, where heavy snow blankets the ground. The artist uses negative space to represent the snow, allowing the paper itself to define the forms of the hills and trees. The contrast between the two seasons is managed through subtle shifts in ink density and brushwork. Ōkyo was known for his ability to capture the specific qualities of light and weather. In these screens, the ink is applied with varying degrees of dilution to create depth and volume. The composition is balanced, with the elements of the natural world arranged to guide the viewer across the panels. The screens function as a meditation on the passage of time and the cyclical nature of the seasons. By focusing on the physical reality of the environment, Ōkyo created works that feel immediate and grounded. These screens demonstrate the artist's skill in balancing decorative appeal with a keen sense of observation, a hallmark of his contribution to Edo-period art.