Elizabeth Keith - As an Ukiyoe painter from Britain

“Blue and White”, painted by Elizabeth Keith
(Public Domain)

Elizabeth Keith, a woman in left, with her elder sister in 1915, at Keith’s first visit in Japan
(Public Domain)

In 1915, Elizabeth Keith, a woman 28 years old born in Scotland, came to Japan to see her elder sister and brother-in-law. It was the start of her long stay in Japan over 9 years with Ukiyoe study and sketching scenery of the Far East, not only Japan, but also Korea, China, and the others. 

Inazo Nitobe, from the caricature book “Grin and Bear It” by Keith
(Public Domain)

She started  her own career in an publication exhibition for her caricature book at Peer’ Club in Tokyo in 22nd November 1917. “Grin and Bear It”, the caricature book painted by her, was for the purpose to donate Red Cross at the Great War. Its concept was that, if noted persons in Japan, such as Japanese Ministers, foreign ambassador in Japan, men of culture, agreed Keith’s donating offer, they send portrait photo to her and she painted caricature from the portrait photo and donate by selling caricature book and her exhibition. It was agreed by Ietatsu Tokugawa, Inazo Nitobe, Tomozaburo Kato, Shimpei Goto, and so on. According to “Grin and Bear It”, Keith lived in 67 Tansumachi, Azabu Ward, Tokyo, now called Roppongi.

In 1919, she met Shozaburo Watanabe, an Ukiyoe publisher, and was recommended to paint Ukiyoe by her sense. In 1925, after when she backed to Britain, she paint the “Blue and White”, one of masterpieces. It described impressive summer scene with a Kimono woman, merchant, and Hokusai’s Ukiyoe.

From 1929 to 1933 she visited Japan again, but it was the her last trip to the Far East. After the World War 2, including battles between British and Japan. Keith died a broken-heated woman in 1956 in London. But her works are still brilliant such as “Blue and White” in Chiba City Museum of Art.