(3) Willy Seiler (1903-1988) German, Figural Tinted Etching Prints. Lot comprised of three figural prints depicting daily life in Japan. Signed lower right. Titled lower left. Faux bamboo frames.

Overall Size: 14 x 17 x 1/2 in.
Sight Size: 9 1/2 x 12 in.

Willy Seiler (born 1903 in Dresden, Germany; died circa 1988) was a German-born printmaker and painter celebrated for his hand-colored etchings depicting life in rural Japan and Korea. After studying art in Dresden and Munich and later in Paris, he left Germany in 1928 and spent years traveling across Europe and Asia before settling permanently in Karuizawa, Japan, after World War II. In Japan, he created etchings tailored toward Western audiences—especially American occupation forces—often portraying idealized scenes of Japanese landscapes, fishing life, children, farmers, and Korean motifs, typically in limited editions signed, numbered, and occasionally hand-colored. Seiler also taught at an American Army College in Tokyo and gained international recognition, exhibiting in cities like Rome, Paris, San Francisco, Jerusalem, Teheran, and Mexico City. Though little personal data beyond his birth year is documented, his printmaking legacy remains defined by its cross-cultural artistry and enduring appeal among collectors.