His work was exhibited in the Vatican, MoMa and the British Museum, among others. His prints hung in the White House during the Johnson administration. Watanabe was orphaned as a young boy in Tokyo and taken in by a Christian woman. The subject matter of Watanabe’s prints is exclusively the gospel rendered in the mingei (folk art) approach. Influenced by Buddhist figure prints, Watanabe placed biblical subjects in a Japanese context. Watanabe uses kozo paper (from mulberry tree) and momigami (kneaded paper). The momigami paper was crumpled by hand, squeezed and wrinkled to give a rough quality to the prints. The katazome method uses traditional organic and mineral pigments in a medium of soybeen milk. The protein in the milk bound the colors to the papers surface. The use of natural materials is one of the characteristics of mingei (folk art). Watanabe once remarked that he preferred that his prints hang in the ordinary places of life: “I would most like to see them [his prints] hanging where people ordinarily gather, because Jesus brought the gospel for the people”. Such is the mingei philosophy of art for the people and by the people. This piece features the Canaanite woman and Jesus, as he sends healing for her daughter. It is in excellent condition with creasing consistent with artistic method and no tears. It is a limited edition print: #171 of 210. It is signed by the artist. The item “SADAO WATANABE Woman of Canaan Christian Buddhist Japanese mingei print” is in sale since Thursday, February 28, 2019. This item is in the category “Art\Art Prints”. The seller is “gryphon-gallery” and is located in Detroit, Michigan. This item can be shipped to United States.
- Medium: Color Stencil Dye Print
- Subject: Religious
- Style: Abstract
- Listed By: Dealer or Reseller
- Features: Signed
- Color: Multi-Color
- Year: 1964
- Width (Inches): 23
- Date of Creation: 1964
- Originality: Limited Edition Print
- Print Surface: Paper
- Height (Inches): 26
- Printing Technique: Woodblock Printing
- Artist: Sadao Watanabe
- Quantity Type: Single-Piece Work
- Size: Medium (up to 36in.)