Roses

Sōtarō Yasui was a Japanese painter who was noted for the development of yōga (Western-style) portraiture in early 20th-century Japanese painting. Roses were one of Yasui’s favorite subjects. Here, we see an Imari vase, with the vivid rose petals floating against a plain black background. At first glance, the brushwork seems offhand and bold, but the edge of the table, slightly angled upward towards the right; the subtle placement of the vase, tilting leftward; the rose petals, spreading in beautiful balance across the picture plane; and the thickness of the gray tablecloth, all show us that Yasui had carefully worked out the composition and color plan. The result, however, is a painting free of rigid formality and brimming with robust beauty.

This painting is featured in DailyArt 2022 Desk Calendar, which is amazing. You can buy it here.  :)

P.S. Have you heard of the Japanese Bauhaus? Click here to read a fascinating story of Modernism from the Japanese perspective!