Katharine Jowett; Pekin woodblock 1930's

'Corner of Forbidden City'

Pekin

woodblock engraving

by

Katharine Jowett

Katharine Jowett; 1890 - 1965, English artist best known for her colour block prints of Chinese landscapes. She was the daughter of Reverend Timothy Wheatley, of the Mint Methodist Church in Exeter. Katharine fell in love with a Methodist missionary, and followed him to China, but married Hardy Jowett, a member of the British community in Peking. She carved and printed her designs using linoleum blocks and oil-based inks. Jowett is thought to have produced around 20 different prints, only some of which were in numbered editions. Her prints were very popular in China in the twenties and thirties, even Chairman Mao had a set of her prints in his study. Hardy Jowett died in 1936 and she was interned by the Japanese during World War II. Jowett returned to England and lived in Okehampton. Katharine's block prints of China continue to be sought after by modern collectors.

An original woodblock engraving which has retained its colours, the image printed on a medium wove paper sheet measuring approximately 16 cms x 23 cms. (6¼ x 9 ins.) laid to a backing.

Unframed and unmounted, the condition of the image and sheet is good with handling marks condusive with age and a water stain to the lower sheet edge.

Cat 170617-2