Study of a Nude (Shūsaku)

Yoshida, Hiroshi

Study of a Nude (Shūsaku), 1927

Woodblock in colors with ink on wove paper

On wove paper. Pencil-signed and titled in the lower margin; red jizuri (self-printed) seal in left margin. Edition: Lifetime edition printed under the artist’s supervision; Abe Catalogue #094. Image size: 14.6 × 9.8 in (37.1 × 24.8 cm). Provenance: Private Collection, Toronto ON → Waddington’s Editions Sale (30 Oct 2025, Lot 53). Condition: Good overall condition with minor scattered creases at edges and a small accretion in the lower-right corner; not examined out of frame. Notes: Richly inked impression with brilliant gold-mica background and delicate color transitions in the flesh tones—an outstanding example of Yoshida’s technical refinement.

Image size: 14.6" x 9.8"

Literature: Abe Catalogue #094 / Lifetime jizuri

Description: Yoshida Hiroshi’s "Study of a Nude (Shūsaku)" (1927) exemplifies the artist’s mastery of the woodblock medium, merging Western academic figure study with the subtlety of Japanese printmaking. Executed in color woodblock with ink on wove paper, the composition is notable for its luminous gold-mica background, which sets off the delicately modeled flesh tones and underscores Yoshida’s technical virtuosity. Pencil-signed and bearing the red jizuri seal, this lifetime edition was printed under the artist’s direct supervision, as catalogued in Abe #094. The work stands as a rare and refined exploration of the human form, reflecting both Yoshida’s engagement with modernity and his commitment to traditional craftsmanship. Its presence in a private Toronto collection, and later at Waddington’s, attests to its enduring appeal and significance within early twentieth-century Japanese art.

$ 3,500