As part of the "Only MI Campaign" showcasing exclusive Isetan Mitsukoshi products, the 6th floor art floor of the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store will be selling new copperplate prints by Western-style painter Hiroshi Furuyoshi from March 4th to 17th. The exhibition will feature a limited run of 30 of Furuyoshi's new copperplate prints, "MAYA" (18cm x 24cm, ¥150,000). The work depicts a pensive young woman looking back as if she has something to say. In the background, she seems to be imagining her future and past selves, reflecting Furuyoshi's unique worldview. Born in 1959, while studying at Kyoto College of Art, Furuyoshi studied under Toshiro Aoki, a master of the Dutch classical painting techniques of Vermeer and others. From 1995 to 2011, he held biennial solo exhibitions at the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store. He is currently a charismatic figure and a leading figure in contemporary realism painting.
In 2014, his painting "CAMPBELL" (oil painting No. 6, 32cm x 40cm) was sold at Christie's in London, the world's largest auction house, for approximately 8 million yen (at the time of the auction price), causing a stir. The work features a shelf covered in mysterious motifs, such as antique doll faces and vases, lined with a boy standing in front of them, creating a suspenseful yet mysteriously curious atmosphere.
According to the buyer in charge, "Mr. Furuyoshi's works are currently difficult to obtain worldwide. In response to the demand from many customers seeking his work, he has specially produced a limited edition. This is a rare opportunity to experience this work, which expresses the artist's meticulous worldview backed by his unwavering skill."