Watanabe Seitei (1851-1918)
two cranes
(shokaku sofuku)
hanging scroll, ink and color on silk; signed Seitei with red artist's seal Seitei, the lid of the tomobako titled, shokaku sofuku, and signed Seitei ga, ca. 1915
painting 121.7 by 41 cm.
overall 212 by 61 cm.
Watanabe Seitei was born Yoshikawa Yoshimata, and began training with the artist Kikuchi Yosai (1788-1878) at the age of sixteen. Six years later he was adopted by a literary friend of the family, Watanabe Koshi. He initially earned a living by producing designs for ceramics and cloisonné, but he was also prolific illustrator and painter. Seitei traveled to the United States and Europe, where he remained for three years to study Western arts. In 1878 he received a silver metal for a painting he submitted to the Paris Exposition. He was most well-known for his sensitive kacho-ga (bird & flower) designs. Seitei published three notable albums: Seitei kacho gafu ('Picture album of Seitei's bird and flower'), 1890-91; Kacho gafu ('Bird and flower album'), 1903; and the last series published in 1916 (not to be confused with the 1890-91 album of the same name) Seitei kacho gafu.
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seal