Seiko (1837 - 1913 )
Seiko was a woodblock print artist active during the Meiji-period. His work is regarded as some of the most delicate and naturalistic of the kacho-e, or bird-and-flower genre, of his generation. His history is somewhat mysterious. Some scholars believe that Seiko may actually be an additional artist name for the renowned kacho-e painter, Seitei (or Shotei), as they both produced works with very similar motifs and compositions, as well as a comparable level of refinement and skill. However, there is little concrete evidence to support this idea, despite the visual similarities between the two artists. Nevertheless, Seiko’s work stands as some of the most accomplished nature studies of the period, especially those that were produced in the square kakuban format.
Ukiyo-e | Japanese Woodblock Prints | Ronin Gallery
Explore the largest collection of 17th-19th century original Japanese woodblock prints in the United States at Ronin Gallery. Ukiyo-e, or “pictures of the floating world,” captured the exciting urban popular culture of the Edo period (1603-1868), promoting its beauty, fashions and heroes. While the Buddhist term ukiyo originally emphasized the transitory nature of human life, during the 17th century the term gradually shifted its reference to the ephemeral world of pleasure and indulgence. From 17th century Buddhist woodcuts through 19th century Japanese ukiyo-e print masters, enter a vibrant world of enchanting landscapes and sublime nature studies by Hokusai and Hiroshige, dramatic kabuki actors by Sharaku and Toyokuni, fierce samurai by Kuniyoshi, and elegant beauties by Utamaro. With the ravages of time, war and fire, today few of these precious original Japanese woodblock prints survive outside of museums and important private collections.