Mikio Watanabe was born in 1954 in Yokohama, Japan and has been living and working in Paris, France since 1977. He studied engraving at Stanley William Hayter’s Atelier 17 in Paris from 1979 to 1981 and then turned his focus to mezzotint printmaking. He established his own studio in 2001. Watanabe is best known for his mezzotints of nudes, in particular his wife and model, Yuriko. His work also often includes flora and fauna, from elegant blossoms to playful hedgehogs. Focusing on the grace and delicacy of life, Watanabe expertly draws out his subjects from the plates, whether emerging from the rich black so signature to mezzotint, or creating wisps of color balanced in air and water. His work is held in the collections of many international institutions, including the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris, the Central Academy of Art in Kuala Lumpur, and Stanford University in the US.
