Though initially studying under the auspices of Tenshō Shūbun and Josetsu, the expedition and visits to vast regions and cities from Beijing and Ningbo helped expanded and developed the styles that would be utilized in Autumn and Winter Landscapes.

[2][5][6] As a Zen monk, Sesshū's expeditions involved observation and contemplation of nature, and thus, the paintings were designed to provoke ambiance of the seasonal landscapes.

The jagged vertical line at the center conveys the texture of the cliff and its size as well as dimension with respect to the field of vision, as well as providing a recession into the background space.

In 1939, the paintings, along with many designated National Treasures were displayed abroad at the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, in the Ausstellung Altjapanischer Kunst exhibit of 1939 as a result of Germany–Japan relations with the Anti-Comintern Pact.

[11][12] The works are exhibited in regular rotations as part of the Tokyo National Museum's Permanent Collection, in addition to travelling in retrospectives on Sesshū and masterpieces of Japanese art.