Born in Fukuoka in 1893, Zenzaburo Kojima is considered the pioneer of Japanese modern art. In 1913, he decided to move from Fukuoka to Tokyo to pursue his dream of becoming a painter. Instead of entering the Tokyo University of the Arts, Kojima developed a unique set of artistic practice and language through self-study and in-depth exchanges with young artists. In 1992, he entered the highly-regarded Nika Art Exhibition and received top prize, making Kojima a rising star in the Japanese art scene at the t.mes . Three years after that, the artist went to France, where he studied Classical and Modern Western art by visiting various European countries and museums. After completing his studies, he returned to Japan and started developing a unique Modern ‘Japanese oil painting’ style that combines the Western sense of shapes, colors and three-dimensionality with the traditional Japanese aesthetic. After developing this new artistic style for a few years, he founded the Dokuritsu Bijutsu Kyokai (Independent Art Association), which became a key feature in the development of Modern Japanese art.

Seaking new inspiration and breakthroughs in art, Kojima moved to live and paint in Ogikubo, Tokyo, and began the creation of the Ogikubo Period. Shortly after moving to Ogikubo, he once described his new artistic phase as: “I want to capture the beauty of unsteadiness, which exists between stability and instability.” During the Ogikubo Period, the artist focused on the genres of flowers, still lifes and portraits. In his paintings, he began to explore the beauty born out of the contrast between three-dimensional expression and two-dimensional expression. Roses in Choson Dynasty porcelain is a representational piece from this period. In the present work, Kojima skillfully portrays a vase of roses delicately placed upon a lavishly patterned tablecloth. He reduced the use of shadows to increase the contrast of colours, and to highlight the flatness of the overall composition, which is characteristic of the Modern ‘Japanese oil painting’ style originated by the artist. Through the use of clean textures and a striking contrast between the vivid red and yellow hues of the roses and the soft purple background, the t.mes less elegance of the porcelain is accentuated. The blooming roses not only exude eternal beauty but also symbolize the artist's unwavering hope for life.

In addition to Western and Eastern oil paintings, Zenzaburo Kojima also draws inspiration from the cultures and arts of the Jomon Period that took place during the stone age of Japan. The locations of some of Kojima’s studios, such as Yoyogi, Kokubunji and Suginami, are all sites of Jomon ruins. And the influence of Jomon Period aesthetics is evident in the patterned tablecloths and the thick black outlines of the flowers, echoing the patterns found on Jomon earthenware. With the usage of Jomon elements, Kojima creates a sense of t.mes less beauty that transcends t.mes and space in his art.

児島善三郎在1893年生於日本福岡，他被視為日本現代藝術的先驅人物。1913年，他為了實現成為畫家的夢想，正式從福岡移居到東京；在此，他並沒有進入東京美術學院，而是通過自學，以及與前衛年輕藝術家的深刻交流，研究出一套獨特的藝術語言。1922年，他在日本著名畫展二科展獲得了頭獎，成為當時日本畫壇冉冉升起的一顆新星。1925年，児島前往法國學習西方繪畫，遊歷各國並受到西方古典及歐洲現代藝術啟發。學成歸國後，他將西方藝術的形、色、以及立體感與日本的傳統美學相融合，創造出獨特的現代「日本油畫」藝術風格。他在一九三〇年代與志同道合的一眾藝術家創建獨立東京美術協會，為現代日本美術的發展作出巨大貢獻。
1951年児島為了尋求新的創作靈感和突破，移居到了東京的狄窪，在此處的畫室開展了「狄窪時期」的藝術創作。移居新畫室後不久，他便曾對新階段如此記述：「不安定狀態的美,介乎於安定與不安定之間的感覺,我想盡力去捕捉這些東西。」在這段時期，藝術家的創作主題以花、靜物和人像為主；他的創作風格亦開始探索和追尋立體表現和平面表現對比之間所產生的不穩定的美。《朝鮮王朝白瓷與薔薇》正是此時期代表性的作品：畫中描繪一瓶薔薇放置在富裝飾性的桌布上，由單色背景所襯托。児島採用簡潔的紋理，並減少了陰影的使用，用高彩度的紅黃色薔薇對比柔和的紫色背景，突顯白瓷的雋永優雅。這正是藝術家始創的，融合西方、東方風格的現代「日本油畫」的特征。盛開的薔薇美麗地歌頌著生命，不僅蘊含著永恆的美，還象徵著藝術家對於生命的堅定希望。

除東西方油畫以外，児島善三郎的創作靈感亦源於日本石器時代繩文時代（Jomon Period）的文化和美學。藝術家曾在代代木、國分寺以及杉並都擁有過畫室，而這三處都是繩文遺址之地。《大麗花》中桌布上的花紋，以及花卉、花瓶和桌布上大膽的黑邊，都呼應了繩文時期陶器上獨特的圖案。而桌上的月亮罐則是傳統韓國白瓷，為朝鮮王朝的宮廷器皿，喚起了古代美的感悟。