<b>PORTRAIT OF A WOMAN, (double-sided), 1986</b> / Yoshitoshi Mori1985, 1986<b>SOLD</b></em>

Details

This striking double-sided painting is a standalone work not associated with a finished print. Both paintings are of female subjects, done a year apart. One side varies slightly in that it features a nude. Both works display a reverence and sensitivity to the subject. The work, dated 1985, is charming and somewhat whimsical. It is executed with quick brushstrokes that build-up the outline while blotches of color warm and animate the flat cartoon-like figure. The work done a year later is rendered in the same pose but is executed with considerably more care. The draftsmanship showcases greater shading and a masterful use of light, making the work appear more voluminous and three-dimensional while at the same time providing an introspective and psychological quality. Despite their stylistic differences, both works are executed in a Modigliani-like elegance and are compelling in their respective way.

Connoisseur's Note

It is exceedingly rare to find original standalone paintings by this 20th century master. The family kept most of his original work until fairly recently when the vast majority was donated to institutions and only a small portion made its way into the marketplace. Further still, double-sided paintings by Mori are nearly impossible to find. This particular work is outstanding in that both subjects seem to have a direct relationship to each other beyond the confines of their respective side of the paper. It’s interesting to ponder if the artist was depicting the same person over a period of time. This work brings to mind the double-sided woodblock prints of Kitagawa Utamaro, one located at The Museum of Fine Art, Boston, pictured below. Though both of the Mori subjects are not related in a spatial manner to each other as this Utamaro double-sided design, it is fascinating to ponder their relationship and consider how they may be interrelated.