This is a picture of a private house among the dense trees that Hirai Baisen liked to paint. Perhaps in a study…, a man of high rank can be seen there. It is very interesting that the trees, which seem to be a mass of sumi ink, are crammed in front of the window, adding rhythm to the picture. A slight crescent moon drawn at the top of the picture develops the setting of a landscape at night. The contrast between the silence of the night and the dynamism of the trees is very impressive while the portrayal of the high-rank man, who is reading with no regard to their resonance, tops up with an additional depth of flavor into this work.