Details

Sadao Watanabe dedicated his entire career to producing prints illustrating the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. Though the subjects of his prints may be familiar, Watanabe utilized his unique talent of stencil production mixed with Japanese aesthetic sensibilities to create a new and compelling vision of these time-honored stories.

In this design, Mary Magdalene is shown washing and anointing Jesus’s feat with oil and tears. Utterly dedicated to the task, she is shown using her long hair to finish it. Jesus is shown seated with his hand outspread, reminiscent of a Buddhist mudra, imparting a blessing—and forgiving her past sins. An angelic figure is shown with hands clasped, bearing witness to this profound moment.

Connoisseur's Note

This stencil print is executed on hand-made Japanese paper that has been crumbled and flattened to take on the appearance of a textile. Consequently, the background color and other elements in the design are printed with an expressive, uneven hand that will create unique variances from impression to impression.

This work is in pristine condition with vivid colors—a testament to its years of archival storage. It is quite rare to find large-scale work that has never been framed or displayed and has been spared the transgressions of improper framing and fading caused by years of exposure to sunlight. This print is as fresh as the day it was printed.