Yasuo Kuniyoshi 1944

Harry Sternberg created this color lithograph titled "Yasuo Kuniyoshi" at an unknown date. Kuniyoshi was a Japanese-born American painter, printmaker, and photographer, associated with the American avant-garde. As a portrait of an artist by an artist, this work is a fascinating intersection of identities and artistic visions. Sternberg situates Kuniyoshi amongst a still life of female forms, referencing the male gaze prevalent in art history. Kuniyoshi’s own cultural identity, shaped by the complexities of being a Japanese immigrant in America during a time of xenophobia and war, adds another layer to the work. The contemplative mood evokes the emotional and intellectual life of the artist. The figures in the piece appear both as objects of artistic study and as symbols of the complex relationship between the artist, his subjects, and the cultural context in which he works. The artist's gaze directs the viewer to consider how artistic expression is always shaped by personal identity and broader social forces.