Watanabe, Seitei (1851 - 1918 )

Hailing from Kanda, Edo, Seitei Watanabe was born Yoshimata Yoshikawa. The son of Chobei Yoshikawa, Seitei’s father was the rice broker who spurred the samurai’s income to shift from rice to currency. Understandably, the family had become quite wealthy by the end of the Edo period, leading Seitei to apprentice with a pawnbroker at age 13. At age 16, he began his artistic career, studying briefly with Zeshin Shibata, but building a lasting relationship with Yosai Kikuchi, with whom Seitei studied calligraphy and nature drawing. In 1875, he began to design export-bound craft objects for Kiryu Kosho Gaisha, earning the company an award at the first Domestic Industrial Exhibition in 1877. The following year, he received a bronze medal for his painting at the Paris Exposition and the young artist set off for Paris. During his three years there, he was greatly influenced by European artists’ use of light, shadow and perspective.

 

After returning to Japan, Seitei Watanabe became known for his kacho-e (bird-and-flower picture) watercolors before turning to woodblock printing around 1890. He won awards from Japan’s Domestic Industrial Exhibition (1881), the Amsterdam International Exhibition (1883), and the Colombian Exposition in Chicago (1893). He also began the art journal Art World, consisting of woodblock prints based on paintings. Following 1893, Seitei refrained from participation in art organizations but served as Mizuno Toshikata’s teacher. Watanabe's woodblock prints are recognized for their elegant, simple composition, careful detail, and expert calligraphic lines.

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.

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Availability

  • Available
  • Archive

Price

47550

Artist

  • Aikawa, Minwa (ask Gosentei)
  • Ashiyuki
  • Bairei
  • Beisaku
  • Biho
  • Buncho
  • Bunro
  • Chikanobu
  • Chikashige
  • Chikayoshi
  • Chikuseki
  • Eiri
  • Eisen
  • Eishi
  • Eisho
  • Eizan
  • Fusatane
  • Gakutei
  • Gekko
  • Ginko
  • Harunobu
  • Hasui
  • Hidenari
  • Hirokage
  • Hirosada
  • Hiroshige
  • Hiroshige & Toyokuni III
  • Hiroshige II
  • Hiroshige III
  • Hoitsu
  • Hokkei
  • Hokuba
  • Hokuga
  • Hokusai
  • Hokushu
  • Hokutai
  • Ikeda, Terukata
  • Ikuhide
  • Katsushika, Isai
  • Keinen
  • Kiyochika
  • Kiyomitsu
  • Kiyomoto II
  • Kiyonaga
  • Kiyotsune
  • Kogyo
  • Koryusai
  • Koson
  • Koun
  • Kuniaki II
  • Kunichika
  • Kunihiro
  • Kunihisa II
  • Kunimori II
  • Kuninao
  • Kunisada
  • Kunisada II (aka Kunimasa III, Toyokuni IV)
  • Kunisada III
  • Kuniteru
  • Kunitoshi
  • Kuniyasu
  • Kuniyoshi
  • Kyosai
  • Masanobu
  • Masayoshi
  • Mimura, Seizan
  • Miyagawa, Shuntei
  • Morikuni
  • Moronobu
  • Nobukazu
  • Rinsai
  • Sadafusa
  • Sadahide
  • Sadahiro
  • Sadanobu
  • Saigetsu
  • Seiko
  • Sharaku
  • Shigeharu
  • Shigemasa
  • Shigenobu
  • Shimizu, Seifu
  • Shinsai
  • Shoson
  • Shuncho
  • Shundo
  • Shunei
  • Shunjo
  • Shunko
  • Shunman
  • Shunsen
  • Shunsho
  • Shuntei
  • Sonsai
  • Sori III
  • Sugakudo
  • Sukenobu
  • Tadakiyo
  • Tamikuni
  • Teisai, Shuri
  • Toshiaki
  • Toshihide
  • Toshikage
  • Toshikata
  • Toshimasa
  • Toshimine
  • Toyohiro
  • Toyokiyo
  • Toyokuni I
  • Toyokuni II (Toyoshige)
  • Toyokuni III
  • Tsukimaro
  • Utamaro
  • Utamaro II
  • Yasuda, Shodo
  • Yoshifuji
  • Yoshifusa
  • Yoshihiro
  • Yoshiiku
  • Yoshikage II
  • Yoshikata
  • Yoshikazu
  • Yoshikuni
  • Yoshimitsu
  • Yoshimori
  • Yoshitaki
  • Yoshitora
  • Yoshitoshi
  • Yoshitoyo
  • Yoshitsuna
  • Yoshitsuya
  • Yoshitsuya II
  • Yoshiume
  • Zeshin
  • Hasegawa, Kannosuke (Chikuyo)
  • Kaburagi, Kiyokata
  • Kajita, Hanko
  • Kajiwara, Hisako
  • Kawano, Kaoru
  • Kokunimasa (aka Kunimasa V)
  • Mori, Shunkei
  • Saito, Kiyoshi
  • Watanabe, Seitei
  • Yukawa, Shodo
  • Mishima, Shoso
  • Suzuki, Kason
  • Takeuchi, Keishu
  • Fujikawa, Tamenobu
  • Tanigami, Konan
  • Teisai, Sencho
  • Terasaki, Kogyo
  • Tomioka, Eisen
  • Unsigned / Unknown Artist
  • Yamanaka, Kodo
  • Yoshida, Hiroshi
  • Yushin, Ayaoka

Subject

  • Beauties (bijin-ga)
  • Kuchi-e
  • Manga & Bookplates
  • Moon & Night

Period

  • 1868 - 1912 (Meiji)

Medium

  • Woodblock Print

Size

  • Small (ie. Chuban)
  • Medium (ie. Oban)

2 Products

Cover Illustration for Bijutsu Sekai

Watanabe, Seitei

Cover Illustration for Bijutsu Sekai

JP-110604

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Shadow of the Beauty

Watanabe, Seitei

Shadow of the Beauty

JP2138

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