Landscape, Paris - (On the Seine) 1928

Yasuo Kuniyoshi made this lithograph, "Landscape, Paris - (On the Seine)," with the dark shades contrasting to light ones that make the artwork be full of movement. Kuniyoshi came to the US from Japan at the age of 17 and studied art in New York. Here, though, he is depicting the quintessential European city. By the time this was made, he had already become renowned for his Modernist paintings. The scene is of a city on a river. In the background, a row of buildings stretches into the distance. Bare trees line the bank, while heavy clouds obscure the sky. But while the scene is serene, there is also an undeniable atmosphere of foreboding. The lack of human presence and heavy shadows create a sense of unease. What makes this such a powerful image is its ability to evoke mood and emotion. To understand Kuniyoshi’s work, scholars have researched the influences of Japanese art as well as the institutions of the American and European avant-garde. The meaning of any artwork is always contingent on its historical and social context.