Japanese 1876 - 1950

Hiroshi Yoshida is known as a Western-style painter and printmaker.  Born in Kurume, he lived and worked in Tokyo.  He first painted landscapes in oil, but earned early fame as a watercolorist.  He became interested in printmaking in 1920 and self-printed all of his work except his first seven prints.  His early paintwork depicted views of Swiss and American landscapes.

Fond of traveling, Yoshida was also an avid alpinist, with mountains and water figuring prominently in his works.  A significant contributor to and organizer of important exhibitions at the Toledo Museum of Art, Yoshida’s work was well represented, with 113 prints in a 1930 Japanese print exhibition and 66 prints in a 1936 show.  A romantic realist, Yoshida’s style resembles an English 19th-century watercolorist applied to Japanese themes.  Hiroshi Yoshida is noted for its subtle colors and naturalistic atmosphere.  His works won numerous prizes in Japan and the world, and he gained strong Western influence during his travels.  He later established the Japan Alpine Artist Association.

Source: Castle Fine Arts, www.castlefinearts.com