Since the painting did not feature characteristics normally found in Japanese paintings such as a realistic depiction of seasonal changes in nature or the human world and only showed two akamatsu (Japanese red pine) trunks, there were some who questioned if 'it was really a Japanese style painting.'
当時は、その日本画の花鳥諷詠さが省略され、赤松の幹が二本描かれているだけの作品に、「これが本当に日本画なのか」と疑問の声も挙がった。