Palace interior and beach, from an untitled hexaptych depicting a pair of folding screens c. 1825

This woodblock print, part of a six-panel folding screen created by Ryūryūkyo Shinsai around 1825, showcases the artist's mastery of depicting both the natural world and the interior of a Japanese palace. The left panel of this screen captures the serene beauty of a shoreline, with gently rolling waves and graceful pines swaying in the breeze, while the right panel presents a bustling palace scene with multiple figures gathered in a richly detailed room. Shinsai’s use of delicate lines and subtle shading, combined with the contrasting themes of nature and human activity, creates a unique visual experience that exemplifies the artistic sophistication of the Edo period.