A winter path winds through the woods, where branches tremble in the biting wind, leading towards mountains beyond. The fences by the roadside and deeply carved tracks in the snow hint at the lives of inhabitants further ahead, lending a certain warmth to this scene of bitter cold. This work belongs to a series of mountain landscapes which Kayama Matazō depicted from the mid-1950s through to the early 1970s. Regarding these winter scenes, the artist himself remarked: "At the foot of Mount Hakuba, on a fresh morning, the pure white beauty of snow clinging to the birch treetops is, I believe, one of the most beautiful sights of winter in the mountains. Walking alone along that quiet path is truly splendid. It is a beautiful moment when one can honestly sense oneself as a single living being, created and born by nature. It is also a moment when one's heart, which always seems to be resisting something in life, can become most honest. I always wish I could paint with the same feeling I had then." As he suggests, this work vividly captures the crisp, dignified atmosphere of a winter path experienced firsthand.

Seal:［又造］Matazō
With a label titled and signed by the artist affixed to the reverse
With a Certificate of Authenticity for Kayama Matazō Works (No. 500)