Seitei Watanabe (1851-1918)

Seitei Watanabe, born under the name Yoshikawa Yoshimata, was a pivotal figure in the late nineteenth century Japanese art world. His artistic journey began at sixteen when he studied under Kikuchi Yōsai, followed briefly by his time spent with the artist Shibata Zeshin. While these masters provided him with a traditional background, he was also inspired by his travels abroad. In 1878, he went to the United States and Europe, ultimately spending three years in Paris. These journeys distinguished him as the first Nihonga artist to live in Europe for the purpose of studying Western painting methods.

Nihonga refers to the traditional Japanese painting style that emerged during the Meiji period (1868-1912), characterised by its use of traditional materials and techniques while often incorporating themes of stylistic elements from Western art. He maintained a prodigious output of paintings and illustrations, producing three outstanding albums: Seitei kacho gachu (1890-1891), Kacho gafu (1903), and the last series also titled Seitei kacho gafu (1916). During his life he received many awards, in expositions in and out of Japan, and ultimately became a major inspiration to  the following generation of Nihonga artists, notably Mizuno Toshikata (1866-1908) and Kaburagi Kiyokata (1878-1973).