Lot 247
Hiroshi Yoshida (Japanese, 1876-1950). Three woodblock prints on paper: (1) "Kura in Tomonoura (Waterhouses at Tomonoura)" 1930; (2) "Harbor of Tomonoura (Tomo no minato)" 1930; (3) "Chion-in Temple Gate (Bai mon)" 1935. All hand-signed and dated with artist's seal. A trio of luminous visions unfolds here, each one drawn from the hand and wandering spirit of Hiroshi Yoshida (Japanese, 1876-1950), one of the great poet-explorers of the shin-hanga movement. His woodblock prints shimmer with that quiet electricity found only in scenes observed with deep patience: harbors waking under soft dawn light, temple steps stirred by spring breezes, everyday life held momentarily still. Size of print (all about the same): 15.25" W x 10.5" H (38.7 cm x 26.7 cm); of frame: 22" W x 17" H (55.9 cm x 43.2 cm)
The lot comprises three original woodblock prints: "Kura in Tomonoura (Waterhouses at Tomonoura)" and "Harbor of Tomonoura (Tomo no minato)," both published in 1930 as part of Yoshida's famed Inland Sea (Seto Naikai) series, together with "Chion-in Temple Gate (Bai mon)" from 1935, issued within the series "Eight Scenes of Cherry Blossoms" (Sakura hachidai). All are early impressions bearing the jizuri seal, indicating printing under the artist's personal supervision.
"Kura in Tomonoura (Waterhouses at Tomonoura)" and "Harbor of Tomonoura (Tomo no minato)" capture the gentle maritime pulse of the ancient port town: white kura storehouses stepping down toward the water, masts tilting like calligraphy strokes against the sky, and small boats drifting in mirrored reflections so delicate they appear breathed rather than carved. Yoshida's color harmonies are soft and seaworn, evoking the muted luminescence of the Seto Inland Sea in the early twentieth century.
"Chion-in Temple Gate (Bai mon)" turns the viewer inland to Kyoto, where Yoshida records the vast, awe-striking presence of the Chion-in Temple gate. Visitors ascend its monumental stone steps beneath flowering cherry trees, the scene washed in the hushed radiance of spring. Everyone is dressed in traditional Japanese kimono, adding a timeless quality to the composition. The temple, founded in the 13th century and rebuilt in the early 1600s, shelters Japan's largest temple bell at seventy-four tons, a detail that seems to reverberate through the image even if unseen. Together, these prints form a lyrical triptych: sea, land, and sacred threshold; the lived world and the eternal; Yoshida's Japan at once modern and mythic.
About the artist: Hiroshi Yoshida was a pioneering Japanese painter and woodblock printmaker whose luminous landscapes and global perspective helped define the "shin-hanga" movement of the early 20th century. Born Hiroshi Ueda in Kurume, Fukuoka, he was adopted at age fifteen by the Yoshida family after his artistic talent was discovered by educator Kasaburo Yoshida. Trained in the "yoga" (Western-style) painting tradition under Koyama Shotaro in Tokyo, Yoshida quickly distinguished himself for his technical precision and his poetic sensitivity to light.
In 1899, Yoshida made his American debut at the Detroit Museum of Art, followed by exhibitions in Boston, Washington, D.C., and at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, where he won a bronze medal. His travels across Europe and the United States exposed him to Western techniques and perspectives that would later influence his innovative blending of Western realism and Japanese printmaking.
In 1920, Yoshida began producing woodblock prints at the Watanabe Print Workshop, though he soon founded his own studio where he employed master carvers and printers under his close supervision. His work fused the collaborative "ukiyo-e" method with the personal vision of the "sosaku-hanga" ("creative prints") movement, forming a distinct third path within modern Japanese printmaking.
Yoshida's subjects ranged from Japan's alpine landscapes to the Taj Mahal, the Swiss Alps, and America's Grand Canyon, reflecting his wide travels and cosmopolitan eye. A passionate mountaineer, he founded the Japan Mountain Painting Society and spent months each year sketching in the Japanese Alps, later transforming his studies into prints of remarkable clarity and atmosphere. His pioneering "betsuzuri" (separate printing) technique allowed him to capture variations of light and weather by printing multiple color states from a single block.
Throughout his career, Yoshida produced over 250 woodblock prints characterized by refined color layering, luminous transparency, and painterly precision. His works such as "Glittering Sea," "Ten Views of Mount Fuji," and "The Taj Mahal, Morning Mist" exemplify his lifelong pursuit of harmony between nature, craftsmanship, and emotion.
Yoshida's artistic legacy endures through the renowned Yoshida family of artists - spanning four generations and both genders - whose contributions have shaped the course of modern Japanese art. His prints remain housed in major museums worldwide, including the British Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum.
In 1939, Yoshida published "Japanese Wood-Block Printing," a seminal text detailing his methods and philosophy, ensuring his influence would continue among artists and collectors alike. A traveler, mountaineer, and visionary, Hiroshi Yoshida elevated the art of the Japanese woodblock to a modern, international language of beauty and light.
Provenance: private Salt Lake City, Utah, USA collection, acquired June 2023; ex-Everard Auctions and Appraisals, Savannah, Georgia, USA
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#197472
- Condition: All mounted behind glass in custom mattes and frames; have not been examined outside of glass. All have some discoloring to paper with a few stains and toning, but otherwise in good condition with clear imagery. Some chips and nicks to frames; none of which affect prints. Suspension wire on verso of each for display. All hand-signed and dated with artist's seal.
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