Includes a woodblock print dated 1977, pencil titled 若葉 (Young Leaves), signed and dated in lower margin, with red artist's seal, a tree with fresh light green leaves stands against a silver and clear blue sky, and a second woodblock print pencil titled 夕の木 (青) (Evening Tree- Blue) and signed in lower margin, with red artist's seal, of an aquamarine blue and dark brown tree standing against a golden sky, both prints were professionally framed in Hong Kong with light gray mats in silver frames.

Frame dimensions 10 5/8 x 10 5/8 in., 11 5/8 x 9 in.

Collection of Ambassador and Mrs. Leonard Woodcock

In the late 1940s, Hoshi began to teach himself woodblock printmaking through his membership with the Japanese Woodblock Print Association. His skill was quickly recognized with an award at the Association’s Print Exhibition in 1949. By the time he had graduated from the Musashino University of Fine Arts in 1956 at the age of 42, Hoshi had earned numerous accolades from National Artists Associations as well as an international Print Biennales.
Hoshi began to concentrate on his singular, magical realist tree motifs in the 1970s. These elaborate, meticulous depictions of trees are incandescent against vividly-colored, monochromatic backgrounds and often include details of gold and silver leaf. In the final years of his life, Hoshi also began a series focusing on grasses. The artist’s quiet dreamscapes continue to inspire printmakers to take up trees as subject matter earning him the moniker “the father of tree prints.”
Hoshi’s works are held in the esteemed collections around the world including the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, Museum of Modern Art, New York, Art Institute of Chicago, the Rockefeller Foundation, New York, National Museum, Berlin and the Haifa Museum of Art, Israel among others.

From the collection of Ambassador and Mrs. Leonard Woodcock. They lived in China from 1977 to 1981 and continued to visit frequently until 1996. Ambassador Woodcock negotiated normalization between the United States and China with leader Deng Xiaoping, and was then selected to be the first U.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.

Very good condition; one with light toning to margin of paper; not examined outside of the frame.