Late Summer

An old castle appears on the crest of a hill. When one looks upward, their gaze falls upon a deep blue sky. The upward-looking composition and the horizontally flowing brushwork evoke a palpable feeling of the wind moving through the scene. Once a place of human activity, the castle has now dissolved into the surrounding landscape, becoming a part of nature. The artist sought to capture the subtle presences that drift through everyday scenery—moments that are easily overlooked.
Born in Kōda Village, Mitoyo District (present-day Yamamoto-chō, Mitoyo City), Iwakura graduated from the Nihonga program of Kyoto City University of Arts and completed its postgraduate program. He was later a professor at the same institution and a member of the Japan Art Academy. This work received the Prime Minister’s Award at the 22nd Japan Fine Arts Exhibition (Nitten).