Hiroshi Yoshida is known for his woodblock prints that portray peaceful settings and his contribution to advancing and modernizing the traditional Japanese shin hanga (new print) style and method.

Works by Hiroshi Yoshida

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Osaka Castle by Hiroshi Yoshida Toku Seal

Osaka Castle by Hiroshi Yoshida Toku Seal (Japan, 1876-1950). A beautiful depiction of the historic Osaka Castle. The level of detail portrayed is astounding, especially when enjoying the reflection of the castle in the gently rippling water. A family in traditional dress can also be seen relaxing and enjoying the landscape near the pond. Colors are vibrant and energetic portraying the beautiful crisp day. Signed by the artist: Yoshida signed in ink in Japanese, and Hiroshi Yoshida in pencil bottom right. Published in 1935. The "Toku" seal is rarely seen and was a special seal which was used by Hiroshi Yoshida for his prints set aside for special reasons.

Size: 15 1/4" h x 10 1/2" w (image area)
Condition: Excellent color and impression. Framed.

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Himeji Castle Morning by Hiroshi Yoshida Enthronement Edition

Himeji Castle Morning by Hiroshi Yoshida Enthronement Edition (Japan, 1876-1950). This is a beautiful 1920s Shin Hanga Japanese original woodblock print. This print depicts Himeji Castle which is a hilltop Japanese castle complex situated in the city of Himeji which is located in the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan. The castle is regarded as the finest surviving example of prototypical Japanese castle architecture, comprising a network of 83 buildings with advanced defensive systems from the feudal period. The Oban woodblock features a beautiful view of Himeji Castle shown in the morning with a pale yellow tone in the sky which comes with the sunrise.

This print is contained within a volume of the Japanese Advertiser as originally published opposite page 58. This edition of the Japanese Advertiser, as well as the woodblock print by Hiroshi Yoshida, were published in commemoration of the enthronement ceremonies of Emperor Hirohito in 1928. This is the first edition which was published in Tokyo in 1928. Folio-size purple cloth-covered boards with rooster decoration, bound Japanese-style; xvi + 179pp.

The print is sealed in ink on the lower left. The Jizuri Seal was not applied to any of this version of the Himeji Castle print.

Size: 17 1/4" h x 12 1/4" w (folio), 15 1/4" h x 10 1/4 w (print)
Condition: Woodblock print is in excellent condition with great bleedthrough. Book in overall good condition with some scuffs to the covers and edges showing some wear. Light foxing to some pages of the book.

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Market in Mukden by Hiroshi Yoshida Jizuri Seal

Market in Mukden by Hiroshi Yoshida (Japan, 1876-1950). Japanese woodblock print depicting a market scene in Mukden, China. From his Korea and Manchuria series. Dated 1937. Signed and titled in pencil by the artist. Jizuri seal top left.

Size: 10 3/4" h x 16"  w
Condition: Excellent impression. Very good condition.

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A Japanese Legacy Four Generations Of Yoshida Family Artists

A Japanese Legacy Four Generations Of Yoshida Family Artists. Soft Cover. Illustrated.  223 numbered pages. Copyright 2002.  ISBN: 0-912964-87-1.  LCCN: 2001135456.  Published by The Minneapolis Institute Of Arts.

This major exhibition presents over 160 oil paintings, watercolors and woodblock prints by eight artists from a single family spanning four generations and over 100 years. Featured artists include Kasaburo Yoshida, Hiroshi Yoshida, Toshi Yoshida, Hodaka Yoshida, and the Yoshida women: Fujio, Chizuko, Kiso, and Ayomi, with approximately 20 oil paintings, 15 watercolors, and 100 woodblock prints, several sketchbooks, and other supporting photographs. These fine works are drawn from both public and private collections, most notably The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Toledo Museum of Art, Margaret and Eugene Skibbe (Minneapolis), the Tokyo National Museum, The Fukuoka Art Museum, and the Yoshida family.The catalogue features essays by Koichi Yasunaga, chief curator at the Fukuoka Art Museum, Kendall Brown, professor at California State, Long Beach, Laura W. Allen of San Francisco, Eugene M. Skibbe of Minneapolis and Matthew Welch, curator of Japanese art at The Minneapolis Institute of Arts. They provide new insights into each artist as well as a broad view of major issues confronting Japanese art in the late 19th and 20th century. The unique perspective of a single family also offers a rare opportunity to examine how family ties impact artistic creation.

Size: 9" w x 11 1/2" h
Condition: Good. Covers with some slight occasional edge scuff.  Book has a very slight wave to it as though it may have been "rolled."  Right side exterior page edges at the upper portion with some small pot staining.

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Avenue of Cherry Trees by Hiroshi Yoshida Jizuri Seal

Avenue of Cherry Lane by Hiroshi Yoshida. Oban size Japanese woodblock print. Pencil signed and titled by the artist. Jizuri seal at the top of the left hand margin. Beautiful colors and impression.

Size: 11" h x 16" w
Condition: Good for age. Light toning throughout with slight burn in margin.

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Edo Castle by Hiroshi Yoshida Jizuri Seal work no longer available

Edo Castle by Hiroshi Yoshida (Japan, 1876-1950). A beautiful Shin Hanga Japanese woodblock print depicting two women walking outside of Edo Castle in Tokyo, Japan after a heavy rain. From the series Twelve Scenes of Tokyo. Printed / published in 1929. Signed in pencil and brush. Jizuri seal in the left margin. Illustrated: Abe, pl. 70.

Size: 9 5/8" h x 14 5/8" w
Condition: Excellent.

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Farm House Noka by Hiroshi Yoshida Jizuri Seal work no longer available

Farm House (Noka) by Hiroshi Yoshida (Japan, 1876-1950). Beautiful Japanese woodblock print depicting a farm house scene with a couple cooking. Jizuri seal left margin. Pencil signed by the artist bottom right. Titled bottom left. First edition print published in 1946.

Size: 16" h x 11" w
​Condition: Excellent color and impression. Deep rich colors. Ink marks in the bottom margin created during printing, and some pinholes in the top margin that are the result of the drying process.

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Fujiyama from Okitsu by Hiroshi Yoshida Jizuri Seal work no longer available

Fujiyama from Okitsu by Hiroshi Yoshida Jizuri Seal (Japan, 1876-1950) Depicting Mount Fuji reflected in water. Pencil signed and titled by the artist. Marked with the Jizuri seal in the left margin. Dated 1928.

Curator's Note:


This work is a beautiful landscape depicting the view of Mt. Fuji from Okitsu beach in the city of Katsuura. Hiroshi Yoshida, one of the foremost woodblock print artists of the 20th century, was well known for his landscape scenes which captured the beauty of many cultures and geographies around the world. Mt. Fuji, being Japan's most prominent geographical icon, was the subject of multiple prints and paintings by Yoshida-san. In this print, the view of the boats resting on the shore, along with the reflection of Mt. Fuji in the water, adds a beautiful perspective to the design.

Size: 9 7/8" h x 14 13/16" w (image), 10 15/16" h x 15 5/8" w (paper)
Condition Report: Strong impression. Slight color fading. 

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Night in Kyoto by Hiroshi Yoshida Jizuri Seal work no longer available

Night in Kyoto by Hiroshi Yoshida (Japan, 1876-1950). Japanese woodblock print depicting a rainy night in the Kyoto Kansai district by master artist Hiroshi Yoshida. Pencil signed by the artist. Bearing the artist's seal bottom right. Jizuri seal upper left.

Size: 16" h x 10 3/4" w
Condition: Some fading to the colors. Slight mat line.

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A Glimpse of Ueno Park by Hiroshi Yoshida Jizuri Seal work no longer available

A Glimpse of Ueno Park by Hiroshi Yoshida (Japan, 1876-1950). Jizuri seal top left. The print is pencil signed by the artist bottom right. Depicts a beautiful spring day as people wander through Ueno Park among the cherry blossoms.

Size: 16" h x 11" w
Condition: Some toning. Some mat burn due to previous framing. Jizuri seal slightly faded. Backed on stiff cardboard. Tear to cardboard backing which does not affect the print.

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The Cherry Tree in Kawagoe by Hiroshi Yoshida work no longer available

The Cherry Tree in Kawagoe by Hiroshi Yoshida Japanese woodblock print. From Hiroshi Yoshida's series Eight Scenes of Cherry Blossoms. Printed posthumously from the original blocks by Toshi Yoshida and Yoshida Studio. Artist's signature stamped in the block.

Size: 16" h x 10.75" w
Condition: Good overall impression. Some discoloration and slight mat burn. Tape remnants verso.

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Omuro by Hiroshi Yoshida work no longer available

Omuro by Hiroshi Yoshida Japanese woodblock print. View of main gateway of Ninnaji Temple in Kyoto in spring, with visitors wearing traditional Japanese kimono and the cherry-trees are in bloom. Printed posthumously from the original blocks by Toshi Yoshida and Yoshida Studio. Artists signature stamped in the block.

Size: 10.75" w x 16" h
Condition: Good overall impression. Some discoloration and slight mat burn. Tape remnants verso.

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Spring Rain at Yozakura by Hiroshi Yoshida Jizuri Seal work no longer available

Spring Rain at Yozakura by Hiroshi Yoshida Japanese woodblock print. Jizuri seal upper left corner. Signed and titled by the artist with red artist's seal Hiroshi. From the series Eight Scenes of Cherry Blossoms. Circa 1935. 

Size: 16" h x 10 3/4" w
Condition: Some color fading and mat burn. Tipped to paper backing.

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Plum Gateway by Hiroshi Yoshida Jizuri Seal work no longer available

Plum Gateway by Hiroshi Yoshida Japanese woodblock print. Jizuri seal upper left corner. Circa 1935. Signed and titled in pencil by the artist. 

Size: 10 5/8" w x 15 5/8" h
Condition: Colors are slightly faded. Slight mat burn.

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In a Temple Yard by Hiroshi Yoshida work no longer available

In a Temple Yard by Hiroshi Yoshida Japanese woodblock print. From Hiroshi Yoshida's series Eight Scenes of Cherry Blossoms. Printed posthumously from the original blocks by Toshi Yoshida and Yoshida Studio. Artist's signature stamped in the block.

Size: 16" h x 10.75" w
Condition: Good overall impression. Some discoloration and slight mat burn. Slight loss to paper bottom left. Tape remnants on verso.

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Chion-in Temple Gate by Hiroshi Yoshida work no longer available

Chion-in Temple Gate by Hiroshi Yoshida woodblock print. Printed posthumously from the original blocks by Toshi Yoshida and Yoshida Studio. Artist's signature stamped in the block.

Size: 10.75" h x 16" w
Condition: Good overall impression. Some discoloration and slight mat burn. Tape remnants on verso.

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In a Temple Yard by Hiroshi Yoshida Jizuri Seal work no longer available

In a Temple Yard by Hiroshi Yoshida Jizuri Seal. An original Japanese shin-hanga woodblock print titled In a Temple Yard in English and Bell Tower in Japanese (鐘楼 _Shōrō) from the series Eight Views of Cherry Blossoms (櫻八題 Sakura hachidai) by Yoshida Hiroshi (吉田 博, 1876-1950). Published by Watanabe Shōzaburō (渡辺 庄三郎, 1885-1962) in 1935, this work depicts a series of figures walking toward a building seen to the center of the piece, their reflections clear in the puddles underfoot. The artist’s signature and seal are printed in the lower left corner. The Japanese print and series titles are printed in the left margin, and, in English, the work is signed and titled in pencil to the lower margin. Unframed, this print awaits your choice of presentation.

Size: 10.5" w x 16.0" h
Condition: Good - to fair. Print has faded over time. Tear present to lower left corner.

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Tea House in Azalea Garden by Hiroshi Yoshida Jizuri Seal work no longer available

Tea House in Azalea Garden by Hiroshi Yoshida. Original Japanese woodblock print by famed Shin Hanga artist Hiroshi Yoshida. Print is pencil titled and signed in the bottom margin. Bears the Jizuri seal indicating an original print hand published by Hiroshi Yoshida himself. Published by the Yoshida Studio. This is an early edition of the print most likely printed in the 1930s.

Size: 16" w x 10.5" h
Condition: Average. There is some mat burn visible on the image. Remnants of tape on the back of the print. Some creasing. Overall image quality is good and colors are still vibrant.

Biography

print biography

Hiroshi Yoshida (吉田 博, Japan, 1876-1950) is known for his woodblock prints that portray peaceful settings and his contribution to advancing and modernizing the traditional Japanese shin hanga (new print) style and method.

Hiroshi Yoshida was born September 19, 1876 with the name “Ueda Hiroshi” in Kurume, Fukuoka prefecture, Japan. Hiroshi became the artist, Yoshida Kasaburo’s (1861-1894), adopted son at an early age. As a young man, Hiroshi studied with Tamura Soritsu (1846-1918) in Kyoto in 1893 and Koyoma Shotaro (1857-1916) at a private school in Tokyo, known as Fudosha, in 1894. He also joined the Meiji Fine Arts Society, which taught and encouraged Western-style painting. In 1899, Hiroshi traveled to the U.S. with artist Nakagawa Hachiro (1877-1922) and exhibited paintings in New York, Boston, and other major cities. His first American exhibition was held at the Detroit Museum of Art (now Detroit Institute of Art). In 1902, Hiroshi co-founded the Taiheiyo-Gakai (Pacific Painting Organization) in 1902. From 1903 to 1907, Hiroshi traveled extensively in the U.S., Europe, and North Africa. In 1920, the publishing house Watanabe Shozaburo (1885-1962), approached Hiroshi to design woodblock prints with western-style depictions. However, in September 1923, all the blocks for his prints and existing stock were lost in the Great Kanto earthquake when the Watanabe shop was destroyed. As a result, Hiroshi left for the U.S. to sell prints, which were incredibly popular at the time. When he returned to Japan, Hiroshi established his own studio and continued to make prints.

Hiroshi was a shin-hanga artist. Shin-hanga artists incorporated Western elements such as the effects of light and the expression of individual moods, but focused on strictly traditional themes of landscapes (fukei-ga), famous places (meishō), beautiful women (bijin-ga), kabuki actors (yakusha-e), and birds-and-flowers (kachō-e). However, Hiroshi started a new realm of artistic practice and style in Japan by blending Western painting and traditional Japanese woodblock printmaking. Hiroshi became the sole artist, carver, and publisher, a practice known as sōsaku hanga (creative print), a stray from the traditional ukiyo-e collaborative system where the artist, carver, printer, and publisher engaged in a division of labor. Hiroshi believed that the painter should have supreme authority and assume the role of director, not the publishing house. Hiroshi was known to be meticulous about the process and quality of his finished prints. He did not give his prints the “seal of approval” or the stamp of his name, unless he was extremely satisfied with the end result. Hiroshi always printed the notation “jizuri” (self-print) on his works. Prints made after Hiroshi's death do not have the jizuri seal and are considered less valuable than those having the self-printed seal. Additionally, his prints are signed “Yoshida” with brush and ink beside a red “Hiroshi” seal.

Hiroshi focused primarily on landscapes and scenes of nature. He experimented with color and light to create ethereal depictions that were almost photo-realistic. The artist is most famously known for his ability to capture reflections on surfaces and depict atmospheric light. Hiroshi’s prints also portray foreign landscapes and subjects of the U.S., Canada, Europe, Egypt, India, Korea, and China - most notably the Grand Canyon, Niagra Falls, Swiss Alps, and the Taj Mahal. One of his most famous series, the Sailing Boats (1921), captures various ‘moods’ of light in each print. This effect is reminiscent of Claude Monet’s Rouen Cathedral (1894) series of oil paintings that capture different moments of time and light against a surface through varied color combinations. Hiroshi took this inspiration from the French impressionists and was knowledgeable of Western aesthetics, but maintained an allegiance to traditional Japanese traditions and methods of printmaking. Attracted by the calmer moments of nature, Hiroshi’s prints breathe coolness, invite meditation, and set a soft, peaceful mood.

Hiroshi’s career was temporarily interrupted by his sojourn as a war correspondent in Manchuria during the Pacific War. Although he designed his last print in 1946, Hiroshi continued to paint with oils and watercolors until his death in 1950. At the age of 73, Hiroshi took his last sketching trip to Izu and Nagaoka and painted his last works The Sea of Western Izu and The Mountains of Izu. He became sick on the trip and returned to Tokyo where he died April 5, 1950 at his home. He is buried at Ryuun-in Temple, Kosihikawa, Tokyo. By the end of his life, Hiroshi made 259 woodblock print designs - seven published by Watanabe. Hiroshi also wrote the book, Japanese Woodblock Printing, a comprehensive guide to the craft of woodblock printing, published by The Sanseido Company, Ltd. in Tokyo and Osaka in 1939. Before his death, the artist planned on creating his last series, One Hundred Views of the World, but passed away before he could begin the project. Hiroshi’s family continues to maintain the Yoshida’s artistic legacy. Hiroshi’s works are included in major collections like the Art Institute of Chicago, Dallas Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Art in Boston, Fine Art Museum of San Francisco, Cleveland Museum of Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Fukuoka Art Museum, and the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, among others.

Insights

Abstraction in Postwar Japanese Printmaking

by: Lia Robinson

In 1951, printmakers Kiyoshi Saitō 斉藤清 (1907–1997) and Tetsurō Komai 駒井哲郎(1920-1976) were awarded top prizes at the Sao Paolo Biennale, gaining instant recognition for Japanese prints in the increasingly global art world. Their success, unmatched by painters and sculptors at the same biennale, represented a flourishing of Japanese printmaking from the 1950s to the 1970s. The resurgence of creative printmaking in postwar Japan was characterized by innovative, abstract styles and themes that engaged with the rapid transformations of the era. Promoted by artists around the world as the common language of modern art, abstraction was thought to espouse international humanism, individualism, and liberalism following the traumatic experiences under the totalitarian regimes of World War II. This trend toward self-expression and barrier-breaking in the arts ushered in an unprecedented age of experimentation reinforced by transnational networks of avant-garde artists in Japan, Europe and America.

Hiroshi Yoshida and his Early Access to the Western World

by: Caroline Moore

Hiroshi Yoshida (吉田 博, Japan, 1876-1950) was a prolific Japanese printmaker who broke through the cultural barriers that separated the Eastern and Western worlds. He became one of the first established Asian artists to show extensively in the West and contribute to the artistic milieu of the 20th century. Hiroshi trained as a shin-hanga (“new print”) artist during his early years, learning Western-style techniques of rendering light, color, and atmospheric depth. He also abided by depicting traditional Japanese themes of landscapes (fukei-ga), famous places (meishō), beautiful women (bijin-ga), kabuki actors (yakusha-e), and birds-and-flowers (kachō-e). However, Hiroshi never imitated Occidental art or methods of creating it. Instead, the artist innovated his own unmatched creative and progressive direction that his remarkable and coveted prints showcase today. 

Hiroshi Yoshida and the Jizuri seal

by: Chris Koller

Hiroshi Yoshida is one of the most well known of the shin-hanga style artists and his prints are in high demand from customers all around the globe. There are many outlets to buy a Hiroshi Yoshida woodblock ranging from your local gallery, to online auction sites like eBay. With the varying sources to buy a Hiroshi Yoshida print, and the volume of prints available, it's important to educate yourself on how to distinguish a valuable early edition print from the later impressions, reproductions, and posthumous versions of a print. There are a variety of features to look for in a Hiroshi Yoshida print, but what we will focus on here is the jizuri seal.

The Yoshida Family Exhibition - Mount Holyoke College Art Museum

This online guide provides digital access to the original prints, contextual photographs, and informative texts that were mounted as part of the special exhibition, The Yoshida Family: An Artistic Legacy in Prints. Click on the thumbnail images below to learn more about the individual works of art and archival documents included in the installation.

Hiroshi Yoshida Collection - Art Institute Chicago

Collection of Hiroshi Yoshida prints in the Art Institute Chicago collection.