SIGNED SOETSU AND KAO, MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY)

Edward James (1907-1984) was a British poet known for his patronage of the surrealist art movement. He mentions in an interview with John Lowe (the Principal of West Dean College) "I bought pictures by contemporary living artists from the start of the 1930's onwards, primarily from young and as yet unknown painters...., some of these turned out to have had genius - René Magritte and Salvador Dali."1

In 1936 he contracted to purchase all of Dali's work between June 1937 and June 1938 for £2,400.

1. John Lowe, Edward James: Poet-Patron-Eccentric. A Surrealist Life, (London, 1991)