A third work in the East Asian ink-and-wash tradition — and the most classical in its subject matter. A single tall tree branch, rendered in gray-black ink wash, rises from a thick rounded base and curves as it ascends, its surface texture suggesting aged bark. From this branch, smaller side branches emerge at irregular intervals, each one ending in clusters of small rounded dots in gray, pink, and occasional red — blossoms, painted at the moment just before or just after full opening.
The plum blossom is one of the most storied subjects in Chinese and Japanese ink painting: traditionally painted in late winter, the first flower to appear before the leaves, a symbol of perseverance and hope. Sidney chose this subject deliberately or discovered it — either way, he rendered it with the controlled spontaneity the tradition demands. The branch is drawn from the base upward in a single loaded-brush passage; the blossoms are added with small round marks, each one its own touch.
The composition is tall and narrow — scroll-like — the branch running almost the full height of the picture field. The blank white paper at right and above is as important as the painted forms: space as the medium's positive element, not background but breathing room.
Two small green marks at upper right — barely suggested, a faint watercolor note — break the monochrome without elaborating it. They may be the first leaves, or simply a note of color that balanced the composition in Sidney's eye.
Four works in the East Asian tradition now confirmed: two bamboo, one bird, one plum blossom. This is a body of work within the body of work.