Birds of the Seasons - Spring 

Toshi Yoshida's woodblock print, "Birds of the Seasons - Spring," captures a fleeting moment with a focus on line and color. The composition is delicately balanced, framing two birds amid blossoming branches. One bird is captured mid-flight, its wings spread wide, while the other perches on a branch. The artist contrasts the birds' detailed plumage against the softer, diffused background, drawing our eye to their forms. The use of color in the birds—subtle gradations of grey and blue—adds depth, juxtaposing the flat planes of the blossoms. The branches themselves are rendered with strong, decisive lines that create structure, almost like an armature. Yoshida's ability to use the woodblock medium to convey both precise detail and atmospheric effect reveals his mastery. The work invites us to consider how we perceive nature. It captures not just what we see, but also what we feel when witnessing the arrival of spring.