$9,225
Yasuo Kuniyoshi (Japanese/American, 1893-1953) Storm Signed and dated "KUNIY '36" l. l., titled and dated on the stretcher, identified on a loan label from the Addison Gallery, Andover, Massachusetts, affixed to the reverse. Oil on canvas, 6 x 10 in. (15.2 x 25.4 cm), framed. Condition: Slight canvas warping, surface grime. Provenance: By family descent to the current owner. N.B. Japanese born painter, printmaker, and photographer Yasuo Kuniyoshi immigrated to America when he was just sixteen years old. He rose to prominence in the New York art scene during the 1920s, after having spent four years at the Art Students League. It is at this time that he created his most original work, painting imaginary landscapes inhabited by animals, houses, and figures that cleverly combined the atmospheric effects of painting and the stretchiness of drawing. In this landscape, the space is tilted and flattened reminiscent of Japanese woodblock prints, and we see a lonely streetcar making its way through the hilly and windy terrain. Kuniyoshi was always aware that he was a Japanese national living in America, and his art reflects his multicultural identity. He drew equally on American folk art, Japanese iconography, and European modernism to create a unique visual style.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2016-05-13
