Seitei Watanabe Exhibition

Seitei Watanabe (aka Shotei Watanabe, 1851-1918) may not be the first name that comes to mind when you think of Japanese painters, but he certainly was a talented artist in his own way. Working in the early Meiji period, he was one of the first of his countrymen to travel to the West – a journey that turned Watanabe's style into a mix of old-school Nihonga in the Ito Jakuchu vein and Western-influenced practices. He never took on an apprentice nor moved in the great art circles, which likely explains his relative anonymity in the present day. At Kashima Arts, you'll be able to trace his creative blend of Western sense and Edo style primarily through paintings depicting flora and fauna. And if his work captivates you, know that other Watanabe works are currently being shown at six different museums across the city, including the Nezu Museum.