Yasuo Kuniyoshi- Carnival -1950s-Lithograph-Japanese American Artist-NYC Modernist. Born in Okayama, Japan, Kuniyoshi migrated to the United States in 1906 and studied at the Los Angeles School of Art and Design before moving to New York. There, he trained at the National Academy of Design, the Independent School of Art, and the Art Students League of New York. His career was highly acclaimed: he received numerous awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, and in 1948 became the first living artist to receive a retrospective exhibition at the Whitney Museum. Kuniyoshi’s early works of the 1920s-30s combined Cubism and Expressionism, often focusing on figurative subjects such as dancers and circus performers. These works were marked by humor and playfulness. During WWII, although Kuniyoshi was patriotic toward the United States and outspoken in his opposition to Japanese militarism, he was classified as an “enemy alien” and subjected to restrictions. The war years profoundly transformed his art. His post-war works grew more symbolic, chaotic, and harsh, with inharmonious, intense colors. Clowns became a recurring theme in this later period, as seen in this lithograph Carnival. Though he never explained their meaning, they may reflect Kuniyoshi’s meditations on identity and displacement. Other impressions of this print are held by major collections including the MOMA, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Philadelphia Art Museum. The impression is strong and in good overall condition. It bears a pencil signature “Yasuo Kuniyoshi” at the lower right and a dedication “To Barbara – Yas – 1950″ at the lower left. Tape marks are visible along the top edge of the verso from prior mounting. The image itself is intact and undamaged. Medium: Lithograph on cream wove paper. Printer: Alfred Jones, Art Students League of New York. Paper: 18.5 × 11.5 in. Image: 15.75 × 9.75 in. Lower right (pencil): Yasuo Kuniyoshi. Lower left (pencil): To Barbara – Yas – 1950. I have conducted thorough research to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of this work to the best of my ability.