Shōtei (Takahashi Hiroaki), master of Shin-hanga and guardian of nostalgic Japan
- Cabinet Gauchet Art Asiatique
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Born in 1871 in the bustling Asakusa district of Tokyo, Matsumoto Katsutaro, better known as Shōtei and Takahashi Hiroaki, is one of the most iconic artists of the Shin-hanga movement . Born into a modest family, he was adopted at a young age by the Takahashi family, a circumstance that marked the beginning of his artistic career. From childhood, Shōtei displayed a remarkable talent for painting and began rigorous training with his uncle, Matsumoto Fuko, a renowned painter of the time, whose name he would later borrow to construct his gō (artist name).
Shōtei's work is part of the Shin-hanga (新版画, "new prints"), an artistic movement that emerged in early 20th-century Japan in response to the increasing Westernization of Japanese culture. This movement aimed to revitalize the art of Ukiyo-e, adapting it to modern tastes, particularly Western ones, while retaining traditional woodblock printing techniques.
The publisher Watanabe Shōzaburō, a key figure in Shin-hanga, played a central role in this artistic renaissance. In 1907, he recruited Shōtei, who quickly became one of his leading artists. This collaboration was marked by a prolific production of landscape prints, characterized by a subtle play of light , an atmospheric palette, and meticulous attention to architectural and natural details.
While the collaboration with Watanabe Shōzaburō imposed a certain formalism—particularly in terms of formats (mainly chūban , or even smaller)—Shōtei explored greater creative freedom in his work with the publisher Fusui Gabō. The latter allowed him to produce works in ōban (38 × 25.5 cm) and in various formats, demonstrating a desire to free himself from editorial constraints in order to better express himself.
The duality between these two partnerships highlights the richness of Shōtei's work, oscillating between the commercial imperatives of artistic reproduction for export and a deep desire to perpetuate traditional Japanese aesthetics , at a time of profound cultural change.
The year 1923 marked a tragic turning point in Shōtei's career. The Great Kantō Earthquake destroyed Watanabe's studio, taking with it a large part of the artist's works. This cataclysmic event, however, did not weaken Shōtei's determination, and he undertook to reproduce some of the lost prints, in an approach that was both reconstructive and memorial. These reproductions today offer a valuable testimony to the pre-1923 aesthetic, combining artisanal precision and poetic sensitivity.
Shōtei, who presumably died in 1945 , left behind an impressive body of prints, mainly focused on Japanese landscapes, imbued with nostalgia and serenity. Through his works, he managed to capture the spirit of rural and ancient Japan, at a time when urbanization and industrialization threatened traditional landmarks.
Among his most notable works are Rain at Ushigome , Evening Snow at Edogawa , and Moonlight on the Sumida River , compositions in which moonlight, rain, or snow transfigure the landscape in a suspended moment.
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Artistic style
Shōtei is a master of atmospheric composition , playing with light, seasons and weather phenomena to create scenes imbued with melancholy or tranquility. He combines:
The Ukiyo-e tradition : delicate linework, flattened perspective, attention to detail.
Western influences introduced by Shin-hanga: chiaroscuro effects, subtle shading, realistic rendering of light and skies.
Main themes
Shōtei focuses almost exclusively on Japanese rural and urban landscapes , often depicted at dawn, dusk, or under particular weather conditions:
Rain, snow, fog , wind or twilight dominate his scenes.
Wooden bridges, mountain paths, rice fields , pagodas and isolated temples populate his compositions.
Miniature figures , often alone or in small groups, accentuate the poetic solitude of the environment.
He often evokes a disappearing Japan , frozen in a pre-modern era, hence the nostalgic aspect so characteristic of his work.
Formats and techniques
With Watanabe Shōzaburō , he produced mainly chūban formats (approx. 26 x 19 cm), easy to export to the West.
With Fusui Gabō , he explored larger formats, notably the ōban (38 x 25.5 cm), which offered more space for his ambitious landscape compositions.
The prints are made using the traditional technique of xylography (wood engraving) : drawing on paper, engraving on wood, inking and printing by hand, in several passes (one per color).
Typical atmospheres in his works
“Evening Snow at Edogawa” : a blueish, silent winter scene, with a snow-covered bridge over the river.
“Rain at Ushigome” : blurred silhouettes under umbrellas, a city drowned in rain, lanterns shining in the ambient gray.
“Moonlight on Sumida River” : reflection of moonlight in the water, wooden architecture, deep calm.
These works reflect a deep Japanese sensitivity to the passage of time , to the transient beauty of the world, echoing the concept of mono no aware (empathy for the ephemeral).
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