For the painting here is nothing more than another delicate surface upon which the faint, frail light can play; it performs precisely the same function as the sand-textured wall. This is why we attach such importance to age and patina. A new painting, even one done in ink monochrome or subtle pastels, can quite destroy the shadows of an alcove, unless it is selected with the greatest care.
This was the genius of our ancestors, that by cutting off the light
from this empty space they imparted to the world of shadows that
formed there a quality of mystery and depth superior to that of any
wall painting or ornament. The technique seems simple, but was by
no means so simply achieved.
We can imagine with little difficulty what extraordinary pains were
taken with each invisible detail-the placement of the window in the
shelving recess, the depth of the crossbeam, the height of the threshold.
But for me the most exquisite touch is-the pale black glow of the shoji
in the study bay; I need only pause before it and I forget the passage
of time.