Havana in 1954

Medium:: Woodblock print
Publisher:: Yoshida Studio
Source:: ukiyo-e.org

Typical Price

Havana in 1954 is a remarkable time capsule of pre-revolutionary Cuba, depicting the Caribbean capital during Toshi Yoshida's visit to the Americas. Studio editions sell for $400-$1,200, and jizuri impressions can reach $900-$2,000. The historical significance of a mid-1950s Havana street scene rendered in Japanese woodblock adds considerable collector interest beyond pure aesthetic appeal.

Description

Havana in 1954 captures the Cuban capital at the height of its pre-revolutionary glamour, when the city combined its Spanish colonial architecture and Caribbean setting with the neon energy of American-influenced nightlife and culture. Yoshida's mid-century travel prints document a world that no longer exists in quite the same form, and his 1954 visit to Havana captured the city at a particular historical moment. His woodblock technique, calibrated to Japanese landscape and wildlife subjects, here confronts the very different visual world of a Latin American city and finds ways to render its unique character.