This is one of the last paintings Nissho had been working on just prior to his untimely death. The background is still unpainted plywood. Only half the horse has been painted, but that half is generally in finished form. This shows the distinctive process Nissho used to paint his subject. Usually, the overall form of the horse would be outlined, then completed using successive coats of paint. But Nissho painted his horse from left to right. The front legs seem to stand properly on their own, and even the distressed look in the horse’s eye is a bit unnerving. Upon closer examination, red and blue were also used in the horse’s coat, which differs from Nissho’s early works. Even though the painting is unfinished, it gives the impression of being finished. That makes it an apt symbol of the short, but full life led by Nissho himself.