Masao Yoshida - hand signed vintage lithograph - c1960s

This is a stunning original hand signed limited edition vintage lithograph by Japanese Masao Yoshida. The production was overseen by Yoshida and it is hand signed, numbered and titled in pencil by Yoshida himself. The lithograph is number 3 out of a limited run of 30. Please note that the actual image is richer in reality.

The lithograph is in very good condition, with age foxing to the margins. It is framed and mounted. The wooden frame is bespoke and high quality. The mount is high quality museum standard and acid free. The picture was difficult to photograph and looks even more stunning in reality.

A limited lithograph signed by the artist is the next best thing to owning an original painting. The value of art has continued to rise during the western recession. It goes without saying that this work will provide an outstanding appreciating investment as well as an impressive statement for your home or office.

PROVENANCE
Private collection of Stephen Baring. Collection includes two inherited collections and twenty five years of personal collecting. The collection numbers well over 1,000 works of art and a number will be sold over the coming weeks to fund a project. The piece comes complete with a statement of authenticity.

BIOGRAPHY
Masao Yoshida was born in Tsuchiura-Shi, Ibargi Japan in 1934. In 1956 he won the Nika-kai Prize for New Talent and the Nika Prize in 1957 and 1960. He left Japan for Europe and worked in Paris at Stanley William Hayter's Atelier 17 between 1961 and 1963 where he studied intaglio printing. He exhibited with the Atelier in New York, Copenhagen, Rome and Tokyo.

Frances Blakemore, author of the book Who's Who in Modern Japanese Prints, wrote this about Masao Yoshida's work: "Fertile imaginations often express themselves in a combination of realism and fantasy. The artist's skill in this is exhibited by his ability to compel logic to the point of absurdity, to be simultaneously original and mysterious, sophisticated and homely. The artist's skill is seen above all in his painstaking use of color to heighten the fantastic effect."

LITHOGRAPHY
Firstly, a lithograph is not an ordinary print. Lithography is a type of printing process by which original works of art can be created or reproduced; a process that can be as time-consuming, detailed and complicated as the creation of an original painting. The process differs from other traditional printing methods in that it does not require the print-maker to first etch the image into metal plates, but rather, it necessitates a set of special crayons, or pencils, to draw a mirrored image of the artwork, usually onto a smooth stone tablet, or metal plate, this being the most time-consuming part of the endeavour.

Lithography hinges on the principle that oil and water cannot mix; based on this principle, an oil-based variety of ink is applied directly to the drawing, and the ink immediately bonds with the equally greasy crayon lines. Water is then wiped onto the unpainted areas to prevent the ink from straying. A sheet of paper is then placed over the entire plate; the inked plate and the paper are placed in a press and light pressure is used to transfer some of the ink to produce the artwork. The time-consuming nature of this process, added to the dexterity required to produce the drawing, explains the significant value, both aesthetic and monetary, of lithographic prints.

A genuine original signed lithograph by a famous listed artist that will be much admired in your home or office. Will provide an excellent financial investment as well as a possession to enjoy. You are welcome to return for a full refund if you are not entirely happy. Also, please feel free to view at our central London showroom.