At the same time, Yoshitoshi surprises with daring compositions, delicate gradations of colour and a dramatic sensibility that remains strikingly modern to this day. The series thus becomes far more than a late flowering of Ukiyo-e.

The fifty-five Yoshitoshi woodblock prints in our Asian Art auction originate from the collection of Heinrich Kremer (1924–2020). Over decades, he assembled his extensive collection quietly and with great discernment. The works were always carefully preserved and remained hidden from both the public and the art market. Representation and speculation were never his priority; instead, his focus lay on a personal and deeply considered engagement with the selected pieces.

In the same auction, we are offering a small incense burner in the form of a songbird from the imperial workshops of Beijing. In its lively design, rich colouring and sumptuous gilding, it is characteristic of 18th-century taste. Also coming under the hammer are a beautifully modelled standing Bodhisattva in the Graeco-Indian style from Gandhara, and a highly elegant amber-glazed Tang horse from a Zurich collection. A White Tara originates from a workshop associated with the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse, the seat of the Panchen Lama.