Tranquility (Sand Garden II)

Tranquility features a Zen dry garden, composed of a raked gravel “sea” dotted with islands of stone and moss and divided by a low border. These elements are depicted as an elegantly balanced interplay of form, line, and texture. While most of the composition is represented as if viewed from directly above, this illusion is disrupted unexpectedly by the rock at center right, shown from an angle. Hashimoto Okiie, an art teacher by profession, painted and made prints throughout his life. He is best known for his commanding prints featuring Japanese castles, landscapes, and gardens created after his retirement in 1955.