Twelve Views of the Japan Alps"Mt. Hodaka"

Yoshida Hiroshi was one of the most noteworthy realist artists, working in woodblock, watercolor and oil media. He was also the hero of the old school Taiheiyogakai painting group, standing in defiance to Kuroda Seiki's new group the Hakuba-kai. Yoshida spent his life conveying images of Japan's landscape beauties, particularly those of its mountain scenery. This woodblock print fully reflects the devotion of his later life. This work was created in 1926, the second year after he began to print his own images, and he created a total of 41 works that year. It was the most productive year of his life. His second son who would later make a name for himself as a printmaker, was born that year and named after this mountain, Hodaka.