Artist: Hiroshi Yoshdia
Medium: Original Japanese Woodblock Print
Series Title: The United States Series
Edition: First State - approximately 50 impressions
Date: 1925
Publisher: The Artist - Privately Published
Reference No.: Abe #11
Size: 11 -1/2 x 16 " (oversized margins)
Condition: Very fine, with superb colors
Notes:
A first state example, which includes the noted oversized margins, red jizuri seal and color variations. Approximately 50 impressions were initially completed with exceptional color pigments compared to the regular state. Pencil signed and titled by the artist in the lower margin. Carver: Maeda Yujiro (1889-1957), using blocks cut of mountain cherry wood from the Kiso Region (Nagano Prefecture). Yoshida employed artisan carvers and printers at his atelier and directly supervised them during the completion of this important series.
This is the preeminent version from Yoshida's acclaimed design of the Grand Canyon. Most of the prints in the United Stated Series were based on oil paintings that Yoshida completed during his third trip to the United States, from December 1923 to August 1924. Fifty copies of each were produced in the first printing, with second and third printings to follow. Every time a single print was completed, Yoshida would personally make improvements on the overall aesthetics. As a result, subtle differences in coloring can be detected among impressions. Three different color impressions were made of The Grand Canyon and two of Mount Rainier.
The Grand Canyon, located in northwestern Arizona is a natural wonder of the world and a geological marvel. Carved by the Colorado River over millions of years, the canyon has inevitably exposed multiple layers of rock, from the Vishnu schist to the Kaibab limestone. The rocks at the bottom of the canyon are over 2.5 billion years old and showcase a record of Earth's history.