Elizabeth Keith - Very Rare Original Woodblock Print - Peking Night Scene 1922

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For Auction is an extremely rare original Woodblock Print by the well Known artist Elizabeth Keith. The 'Night Scene Peking' Signed by the artist in Red Pencil. Dated 1922 to the woodblock I understand that this was a first and only edition and the woodblocks were destroyed in a fire in 1923. I understand that these scenes of China are quite rare as Keith Mainly did scenes of Japan with only a few of China, Hong Kong and Korea. Condition - It is in excellent condition. Vibrant clear colours. As is the original frame. The only point to mention is a very minor water stain to the brown cardboard mount (see photo). It should be mentioned that the print has not been inspected out of the frame as it appears to be completely original and all sealed at the back Image Size - The visible image size in 35cm by 23cm. The back of the picture has some written text and a little typed note which looks quite old. It says 'to John and espel with the artist's love'. Elspet ('Jessie') and John Robertson-Scott were the artist's sister and brother in-law so I assume it is referring to them but please judge for yourself. See some information below relating to the artist. If you have any questions - please do not hesitate to ask. Postage - UK will be by Special delivery International - Budget on approximately £75. But I will only charge you the actual postage. About Elizabeth Keith - Quoting Keith, considered to be one of the founding artists of the 'shin-hanga' movement, was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1887, and raised in England. Elizabeth Keith was a self-taught artist that produced drawings and watercolours. There is no record of her having received formal training in the arts. She received little family encouragement in her professional pursuit of art. Elizabeth Keith moved to London with her family in 1898. In 1915, at age 28, she went to Japan to visit her younger sister, Elspet ("Jessie"), who was married to J.W. Robertson-Scott, publisher of the Tokyo-based magazine, The New East. Her intended holiday became a stay which lasted nine years. She did watercolours of Japan and Korea. Keith traveled widely, making trips to Korea, China, and the Philippines and throughout Japan. At that time she had never done a woodblock before. Although she did not perform the carving or printing herself, she wanted to have a basic understanding to supervise the process. So for the next two years she learned the Japanese woodblock printmaking technique. Wanting to master the techniques she stayed on in Tokyo studying woodblock printing. Before long her blocks were carved and printed with little aid from Watanabe's artisans.Watanabe encouraged Keith to work with wood block cutters to translate her watercolours into prints. Elizabeth Keith’s first large scale exhibition of her paintings and watercolors took place in 1919 at the Peers Club, Tokyo. Her art quickly came to the attention of the leading publisher of Shin Hanga art, Shosaburo Watanabe, who convinced Keith to work upon designs for woodcuts. Her first woodblock print, East Gate, Seoul, by Moonlight was published by Watanabe later that year. From her association with Watanabe, she knew the woodblock artists Hasul, Yoshida and (13-2, p. 37) Shinsul.The great earthquake and fire of Sept. 1, 1923 destroyed most of Watanabe's blocks including his classic reproductions and works in progress. When his studio was destroyed, most of Keith's woodblocks were also lost. Keith returned to England in 1924 where she studied color etching. Keith studied etching techniques in France. She produced etchings as early as 1924 and as late as 1938. Perhaps her finest color etching is shown in the figure on the immediate right, known as "The Chinese Matriarch." Elizabeth Keith died in 1956. In her lifetime, she had the satisfaction of seeing her prints of Asian life acquired by the British Museum, the Musee Guimet in Paris, the National Gallery of Canada, the Honolulu Academy of Arts, and, as an important part ... read more

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