Curtis Room
Christ Walking on Water
Calling of the Apostles
Raising of Lazarus
(in Curtis Room) by Sadao Watanabe, 1972
These three prints in the Curtis Room by Sadao Watanabe (1913-1996) were purchased from the Art Fund in 1975. Sadao Watanabe was born in Tokyo and specialized in the art of "stencil painting." He was a Christian whose works deal exclusively with Biblical themes and are displayed in prestigious museums and in many churches.
"Daniel and the Lion" by Emil Weddige, color lithograph.
(There are other prints by Mr. Weddige in the French Room and the Foyer.)
"Holy Family" or "Flight into Egypt" by Carl Binder, 1965. Honduras mahogany. Gift of Carl Binder.
This was the first large carving Carl made, and was the first decorative piece in what must have been a plain and austere church building. It was carved because Elizabeth Rogers wanted something for the 300 level foyer. Later the "Flight" was moved to the Curtis Room since it fits better there. Mr. A. L. Olson of Washtenaw Lumber Company supplied a plank of mahogany. Carl cut the plank into pieces and then glued the pieces together to make a piece wide and thick enough to carve. Carl's wife, Polly, was the model for Mary's hands. Polly also put on a long skirt and sat side-saddle on their freezer so Carl could study the folds of the cloth for Mary's gown. The wood is no longer quite flat, but curves slightly, as wood carvings inevitably do in time because of drying.
