Hiroko Yoshimoto (XX) - Backstroke"Plongueuse

Stunning original contemporary print by the renowned Japanese-American artist Hiroko Yoshimoto, titled Backstroke, dated 1980.
This captivating and highly technical artwork illustrates the body of a swimmer mid-stroke underwater in a semi-abstract, surrealist style. The artist utilizes overlapping dynamic lines to convey fluidity, aquatic distortion, and the energy of movement. The background features a magnificent chromatic gradient (the traditional bokashi technique masterfully transposed into Western printmaking), evolving from a deep ultramarine blue to a vibrant emerald green, finishing with warm sienna and orange tones that evoke the refraction of light on the water's surface.
About the Artist:
Hiroko Yoshimoto (born in Kobe, Japan) is a highly respected California-based artist and Professor Emeritus of Art. A graduate of the prestigious UCLA (Bachelor and Master of Arts summa cum laude), her artworks are held in major institutional collections. A near-identical sister print from this exact same series on aquatic immersion, titled “Plongueuse” (1979), is officially preserved in the permanent collection of the Van Every/Smith Galleries in the United States. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a piece with such museum pedigree.
Technical Details and Specifications:
• Artist: Hiroko Yoshimoto (hand-signed in pencil bottom right H. Yoshimoto '80 — signature sometimes misread as Yamamoto due to the cursive script style).
• Title: Backstroke (titled in pencil by the artist in the lower center margin).
• Date: 1980
• Medium: Etching and aquatint on heavy art paper. The grainy texture of the aquatint and the extreme sharpness of the etching lines demonstrate superb technical mastery.
• Edition: Highly limited worldwide printing of only 40 copies. This piece is the valuable number 27/40 (justified in pencil bottom left).
• Authenticity Marks: Features the artist's traditional red stamp (hanko / seal) applied in ink next to the signature.
Condition Report:
The artwork is in very good overall condition, preserved in its original frame. The colors have fully retained their original freshness and intensity. The paper shows a very light, uniform, and healthy age patina, completely normal for a work on paper from this era.
A rare, highly aesthetic, and modern piece—ideal for collectors of contemporary prints or graphic art centered on the theme of sports, water, and swimming.
Shipping:
Ultra-secure shipping with custom-made professional packaging, real-time tracking, and full ad valorem insurance included against any transit risks.