each signed Yoshida in brush, Hiroshi Yoshida in pencil and sealed Hiroshi, with jizuri (self-published) seal

Yoshida Hiroshi (Japanese, 1876-1950) Morning (Asa); Forenoon (Hansen gozen); Afternoon (Hansen gogo); Mist (Hansen Kiri); Evening (Hansen Yu); and Night (Hansen Yoru); from the series The Inland Sea (Seto Naikai shu) (six works), 1926 (Taisho 15) Woodblock on paper 26-5/8 x 15-5/8 ines (67.6 x 39.7 cm) (each sheet, dai-oban) Each signed: Hiroshi Yoshida; with the artist's red ink seal Each printed by the artist as confirmed by the jizuri seals Yoshida Hiroshi's sailboats from the series Inland Sea capture Japan's serene coastal landscapes with tranquil waters, quaint fishing villages, and majestic seascapes. Trained in the Western oil painting tradition and influenced by artists like J.M.W. Turner and Claude Monet, Hiroshi infused his prints with the dynamic light and shadow techniques found in Western paintings, creating depth and atmosphere. Hiroshi used the same blocks but varied ink colors and tones to suggest different times of the day, weather conditions, and moods. This technique can be seen in the six prints offered from Inland Sea, with each print featuring the same prominent central sailboat and its reflection on the calm sea but the selectively inked background and gentle differing gradients of each print result in depictions of different times of the day or atmospheric conditions. In Morning, the rising sun's luminous halo glows through the sails, contrasting harmoniously with the cooler tones of the sea, uplifting its viewer as if saying, "Rise and shine." In contrast, Night features softer, more diffused colors, with the boat's white sails being the main point of illumination while ethereal flickers of lights in the distance add depth to the work and a touch of mystery. By infusing Western techniques of light and shadow into his depictions of Japan's landscapes, Hiroshi's work resonates with Japanese tradition and Western modernity. Regarded as one of the great shin-hanga artists, Hiroshi excelled in meshing Western techniques with Japanese woodblock practices primarily due to his innovative artistic process, in which he personally carved and printed woodblocks for his prints. This process known as, sosaku-hanga ("creative prints"), deviated from the traditional ukiyo-e method, where artists passed off their sketches to block carvers and printers. Most of Hiroshi's lifetime prints bear his signature in pencil along the lower edge along with the jizuri ("self-printed") seal commonly found in the margin. Yoshida Hiroshi's innovative approach to woodblock printing and his seamless blend of Western techniques and traditional Japanese art, continue to inspire and influence artists today, underscoring the importance of including his work in any Japanese woodblock collection. Property from the Nelkin Collection HID12401132022 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved