Watanabe Sadao
Encyclopedia
, born and grew up in Tokyo
, was a Japan
ese printmaker
in the 20th Century. Watanabe was famous for his biblical prints rendered in the mingei
(folk art) tradition of Japan. As a student of the master textile dye artist Serizawa Keisuke
(1895–1984), Watanabe was associated with the mingei
(folk art) movement.
woman in his neighborhood invited the fatherless boy to attend church with her. At the age of seventeen, Watanabe received baptism
.
patterns and dyeing
clothes. In 1937, one year after Yanagi Soetsu
(1889–1961), father of the Japanese mingei
(folk art) movement, had established the Folk Art Museum, the 24-year-old Watanabe saw an exhibition of Serizawa Keisuke
’s (1895–1984) work. The event sowed the seeds of Watanabe’s artistic endeavor. Few years later, Watanabe attended a study group in which Serizawa taught his katazome technique of stencilling and dyeing
, which originated in Okinawa. From then on, the teacher-and-student relationship between Serizawa and Watanabe became strong and abiding.
rendered in the mingei
(folk art) approach. Influenced by Buddhist figure prints, Watanabe placed biblical subjects in a Japanese context. In The Last Supper (1981) Watanabe depicts the disciples in kimono
. On the table are bottles of sake and sushi
.
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 soybean
milk. The protein in the milk bound the colors to the paper’s surface. The use of natural materials is one of the characteristics of mingei
(folk art).
for The Bronze Serpent showing Moses
and the people of Israel
. Watanabe’s Kiku [Listening] (1960) was featured in the novelist James Michener’s The Modern Japanese Print (1962), a book that introduced ten sosaku hanga
artists to the Western audience.
The Vatican Museum, the British Museum
, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo and many other leading museums in the world had exhibited Watanabe’s works. During President Lyndon Johnson’s administration, Watanabe’s prints were hung in the White House
.
philosophy of art for the people and by the people.
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, was a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese printmaker
Printmaking
Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing, normally on paper. Printmaking normally covers only the process of creating prints with an element of originality, rather than just being a photographic reproduction of a painting. Except in the case of monotyping, the process is capable...
in the 20th Century. Watanabe was famous for his biblical prints rendered in the mingei
Mingei
', the Japanese folk art movement, was developed in the late 1920s and 1930s in Japan. Its founding father was Yanagi Sōetsu .-Origins:In 1916, Yanagi made his first trip to Korea out of a curiosity for Korean crafts...
(folk art) tradition of Japan. As a student of the master textile dye artist Serizawa Keisuke
Serizawa Keisuke
was a Japanese textile designer. In 1956, he was designated as a Living National Treasure for his katazome stencil dyeing technique by the Japanese government. Serizawa visited Okinawa several times and learned the Ryūkyū bingata techniques of dyeing. Serizawa was also a leading member of the...
(1895–1984), Watanabe was associated with the mingei
Mingei
', the Japanese folk art movement, was developed in the late 1920s and 1930s in Japan. Its founding father was Yanagi Sōetsu .-Origins:In 1916, Yanagi made his first trip to Korea out of a curiosity for Korean crafts...
(folk art) movement.
Early life
Watanabe’s father died when he was ten years old. He dropped out of school at an early age and became an apprentice in a dyer’s shop. A ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
woman in his neighborhood invited the fatherless boy to attend church with her. At the age of seventeen, Watanabe received baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
.
The Path Towards Printmaking
The young Watababe worked in dyers’ shops, sketchingSketch (drawing)
A sketch is a rapidly executed freehand drawing that is not usually intended as a finished work...
patterns and dyeing
Dyeing
Dyeing is the process of adding color to textile products like fibers, yarns, and fabrics. Dyeing is normally done in a special solution containing dyes and particular chemical material. After dyeing, dye molecules have uncut Chemical bond with fiber molecules. The temperature and time controlling...
clothes. In 1937, one year after Yanagi Soetsu
Yanagi Soetsu
, also known as Yanagi Muneyoshi, was a Japanese philosopher and founder of the mingei movement in Japan in the late 1920s and 1930s.-Life:In 1916, Yanagi made his first trip to Korea out of curiosity about Korean crafts...
(1889–1961), father of the Japanese mingei
Mingei
', the Japanese folk art movement, was developed in the late 1920s and 1930s in Japan. Its founding father was Yanagi Sōetsu .-Origins:In 1916, Yanagi made his first trip to Korea out of a curiosity for Korean crafts...
(folk art) movement, had established the Folk Art Museum, the 24-year-old Watanabe saw an exhibition of Serizawa Keisuke
Serizawa Keisuke
was a Japanese textile designer. In 1956, he was designated as a Living National Treasure for his katazome stencil dyeing technique by the Japanese government. Serizawa visited Okinawa several times and learned the Ryūkyū bingata techniques of dyeing. Serizawa was also a leading member of the...
’s (1895–1984) work. The event sowed the seeds of Watanabe’s artistic endeavor. Few years later, Watanabe attended a study group in which Serizawa taught his katazome technique of stencilling and dyeing
Dyeing
Dyeing is the process of adding color to textile products like fibers, yarns, and fabrics. Dyeing is normally done in a special solution containing dyes and particular chemical material. After dyeing, dye molecules have uncut Chemical bond with fiber molecules. The temperature and time controlling...
, which originated in Okinawa. From then on, the teacher-and-student relationship between Serizawa and Watanabe became strong and abiding.
Subject Matter and Technique
The subject matter of Watanabe’s prints is exclusively the gospelGospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
rendered in the mingei
Mingei
', the Japanese folk art movement, was developed in the late 1920s and 1930s in Japan. Its founding father was Yanagi Sōetsu .-Origins:In 1916, Yanagi made his first trip to Korea out of a curiosity for Korean crafts...
(folk art) approach. Influenced by Buddhist figure prints, Watanabe placed biblical subjects in a Japanese context. In The Last Supper (1981) Watanabe depicts the disciples in kimono
Kimono
The is a Japanese traditional garment worn by men, women and children. The word "kimono", which literally means a "thing to wear" , has come to denote these full-length robes...
. On the table are bottles of sake and sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
.
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 soybean
Soybean
The soybean or soya bean is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses...
milk. The protein in the milk bound the colors to the paper’s surface. The use of natural materials is one of the characteristics of mingei
Mingei
', the Japanese folk art movement, was developed in the late 1920s and 1930s in Japan. Its founding father was Yanagi Sōetsu .-Origins:In 1916, Yanagi made his first trip to Korea out of a curiosity for Korean crafts...
(folk art).
International Recognition
In 1958, Watanabe received first prize at the Modern Japanese Print Exhibition held in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for The Bronze Serpent showing Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
and the people of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Watanabe’s Kiku [Listening] (1960) was featured in the novelist James Michener’s The Modern Japanese Print (1962), a book that introduced ten sosaku hanga
Sosaku hanga
was an art movement in early 20th-century Japan, during the Taishō and Shōwa periods. It advocated the principles of "self-drawn" , "self-carved" and "self-printed" art, stressing the artist, motivated by a desire for self-expression, as the sole creator...
artists to the Western audience.
The Vatican Museum, the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo and many other leading museums in the world had exhibited Watanabe’s works. During President Lyndon Johnson’s administration, Watanabe’s prints were hung in the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
.
The Artist’s Philosophy
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 mingeiMingei
', the Japanese folk art movement, was developed in the late 1920s and 1930s in Japan. Its founding father was Yanagi Sōetsu .-Origins:In 1916, Yanagi made his first trip to Korea out of a curiosity for Korean crafts...
philosophy of art for the people and by the people.