Takahashi Hiroaki (Shōtei)

Born in Tokyo. Real name Katsutarö. Artist names Shötei, Kömei or Hiroaki. At the age of fifteen or sexteen, he worked at the design section in the Imperial Household Agency. Studied nihonga under his uncle Matsumoto Füko. Participated in the organization of the Seinen Kaiga Kyokai (‘Young Artist Society’) in 1889. Illustrated textbooks and novels in the newspapers. Many prints intended for export and signed Shötei were published by Maehane-shöten. He also produced many designs for Watanabe from the early Taishö period onwards. (The Female Image: 20th Century Prints of Japanese Beauties. Hotei Publishing, 2000).