Shuntei Miyagawa (1873-1914)

Shuntei Miyagawa, born Watanabe Morikichi in Aichi prefecture, was a distinguished Meiji-period woodblock print artist renowned for his delicate genre scenes depicting women and children of the nouveau riche. He moved to Tokyo, where he spent most of his life, and was a student of Watanabe Shoka and later, Tomioka Eisen. Early in his career, Miyagawa worked as a book and newspaper illustrator, a common starting point for many artists of his era. He often signed his artworks as Shuntei Gyoshi or Shuntei Kanjin, which translates to "man of leisure," reflecting perhaps the serene and thoughtful nature of his work. Over his career, Miyagawa became particularly celebrated for his woodblock prints, contributing significantly to the art form with his portraits that elegantly captured the essence of Meiji-era beauty and innocence.

Signature: Miyagawa Shuntei