Hirai Baisen painted shōbu (Japanese irises) blooming by the water, whether in a pond or a stream while swaying in the wind under the early summer light. The petals, drawn in a bewitching purple color, are more than dainty and graceful, reminding the audience of a willowy woman. The addition of a faint aqua color to the background at the bottom of the picture certainly conveys to the viewers the presence of water near these flowers. What is the most important in such a composition is how to deal with the blank space. This completely empty space at the top of the painting surely suggests the atmosphere of early summer, leading the audience to see this flavor as the very essence of Japanese-style painting. It is also interesting to note that the pattern of crabs is woven with the gold thread on the ichimonji fabric part of the mounting fabric parts, which thus enables us to enjoy the atmosphere of early summer even more.