Black Flower by Hideo Yoshihara
This is a lithograph titled "Black Flower" by Japanese modernist Hideo Yoshihara. It is from a series of flower images he produced. This striking image is very abstract, but can be seen as an extreme close-up of a black flower on a dark blue field with dashes of color representing the reproductive parts of the flower. In some ways it evokes the flower paintings of Georgia O'Keefe, however this is much more expressionist and gestural in its execution. Without the title to provide the contextual clue, it would be seen as purely abstract. It was published in 1965. The piece is signed in pencil in English and Japanese Hideo Yoshihara lower right. The title, "Black Flower" is lower center and the edition, 14/210 is lower left. The piece is in excellent condition with rich, vibrant colors. It has not been examined out of the frame. The plate size is 19.5 x 14.75 inches and the framed size is 27.25 x 21.5 inches. There are no condition issues noted, specifically no stains, foxing, tears, paper loss, toning, or fading. The mat is not archival and it appears to be back by a Masonite board. A very striking modern piece by a noted Japanese artist.
Hideo Yoshihara (1931-2007) was born near Hiroshima. He studied art at the Osaka Municipal Art Gallery, then worked briefly with the Avant Garde Gutai group, and its leader Jiro Yoshihara (who was a distant relative). He then joined the Demokrato Artists' Association and was introduced to lithography by the group's leader, Shigeru Izumi. One of his first lithographs in 1956, Sunflower, won 1st prize at the 1957 Tokyo International Biennial Exhibition of Prints. He joined the Nihon Hanga Kyokai (today Japan Print Association) in 1959. His work incorporated innovative print techniques across all print media. He favored abstraction and gestural techniques, though would not be considered an abstract expressionist. There are also some surreal elements in some of his work. He was very well regarded in Japan and internationally. His work was represented in international print Biennials in Tokyo (receiving the Award of the Minster of Education) and Sao Paolo. He received many awards from the Japanese government and was appointed 'professor emeritus' of Kyoto Municipal Art College. His work is held in many prestigious institutions including the British Museum, the Museum of Modern Art New York, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Cincinnati Art Museum, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In 2011 the Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama held a career retrospective. His work was also included in the exhibit Ryuko Utsumi and Artists of Demokrato Artists' Association held in 2022 by the Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts. He is considered to be one of the most influential post-war Japanese artists.
Price: $525
Framed Size: 27.25 x 21.5 inches
Plate Size: 19.5 x 14.75 inches
Condition: Excellent
Medium: Lithograph
Subject: Abstract
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