Elizabeth Keith

1887-1956

Buddhist Priest, Kyoto, Japan

embellished with gold metallic highlights on the brocade robe and karazuri ('blind printing' or embossing) of the white strands of the flywhisk and the creped texture of the yellow robe; signed in pencil at lower right, Elizabeth Keith, pencil titled on verso, The Buddhist Priest, published by Watanabe Shozaburo, ca. 1925

dai oban tate-e 16 by 11 in., 40.5 by 28 cm

An accomplished watercolor of this subject from the Murray Warner Collection of Oriental Art (husband of Keith's devoted patron Gertrude Warner, 1863-1951) in the collection of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum at the University of Oregon demonstrates both Keith's talent as a painter, as well as the remarkable ability of Watanabe's artisans to faithfully transform her work into a stunning woodblock print.

According to Miles, the edition for this print was intended to be 100, however, he recorded fewer than 25 known impressions.

References:
Elizabeth Keith (1887-1956): The Orient Through Western Eyes, An Exhibition of Works from the Murray Warner Collection in The Museum of Art; University of Oregon (Jordan Schnitzer Museum), 1974, cat. no. 37 & 38, accession nos. MWB32:K5 & MWB51:K4 (watercolor sketch & print)
Richard Miles, Elizabeth Keith: The Printed Works, 1991, p. 58, no. 99
(inv. no. C-3197)

price: $4,200