Sekishozan (Shi-shung-shan, South China), Hiroshi Yoshida
Large version here.
As much as I recognize and admire the influence Japanese printmakers had on European artists, notably the French Impressionists, my favorite synthesis of Japanese and European artistic conventions is found in the woodblock prints of Japanese painter and printmaker Hiroshi Yoshida.
There is something about his blend of lines and colors (if you’ll excuse the expression), his suggestions of texture, atmospheric perspective, evocative composition and choice of subject matter that just connects directly to the pleasure center of my visual cortex.
This version of the print is from Ukiyo-e Search (my post here), on which you can find more images by Hiroshi Yoshida and many other superb printmakers (Timesink warning!).
Related posts:
Hiroshi Yoshida (update)
Hiroshi Yoshida
Ukiyo-e Search
I feel the same way, except that my favorite is Kawase Hasui. The shin hanga movement married the linear perspective of western art with the simple and elegant lines, colors and atmospheric effects of Japanese prints. I love Hasui’s prints depicting scenes of snow and rain.
Thanks for the comments. Kawase Hasui is second on my list. I agree. Absolutely beautiful work.
Question?
Were the lines drawn last?
This is a woodblock print, make from the impressions of multiple blocks for different colors. The black was printed first. The process is demonstrated here: http://shinhanga.net/processbook.htm and in more detail here: http://woodblock.com/roundtable/archives/2007/05/river_in_summer_13.html
See also my posts on David Bull (and here).
Being an autist I have great difficulty in reading demonstrations of processes of anything. Even reading recipe’s for cooking. Thanks anyway, Charley. I hope other readers will catch your drift.
If you look down toward the bottom of the article you’ll see a series of impressions of the individual blocks on the left, and the final print in progress at each stage on the right. Each block prints a specific area of color, often transparent and overlaying other areas.