This Morning's Autumn (right) Possibly 1918

Curator: This folding screen, "This Morning's Autumn," appears to be a world suspended between seasons, wouldn't you agree? Editor: Absolutely, there's a haunting quietness to it. The bamboo and trees almost seem to be holding their breath. Curator: Quite a feat of suggestion by Watanabe Kōkan. I find myself wondering if the artist felt he was capturing a moment of societal change. Editor: Perhaps. We could consider the absence of people, how the house seems almost overtaken by the foliage. It's liminal, presenting shifting dynamics of power. Curator: I see it as a reminder of impermanence. It speaks to me of the fleeting nature of beauty and the inevitability of transition. Editor: I concur. The artist certainly offers a space to contemplate not just nature's transformations, but also our own relationship with the world. Curator: It is the artist's ability to evoke such thoughts and emotions that makes this particular screen so powerful. Editor: Indeed. The piece functions almost like a mirror, reflecting back our own interpretations of change and continuity.