Japanese print - on washi paper - signed

Superb Meiji period print (circa 1890), depicting two elegant birds among flowering camellias and lush foliage.
The work illustrates the finesse of the kachō-ga (花鳥画) movement – ​​the Japanese art of painting birds and flowers – with a delicate balance between lines, colors and stylized nature.

The original pigments (deep reds, greens, and soft blues) are perfectly preserved. The gilded floral frame enhances the decorative richness of the composition.

The mauve cartouche in the upper right and the circular seal on the left attest to an original edition published in Tokyo by Shunyōdō , probably extracted from the art periodical Bijutsu Sekai directed by Watanabe Seitei (1852–1918) .
The signature on the right edge, delicate and vertical, corresponds to his typical calligraphic style .

Technical details:

• Title assigned: Birds and red camellias

• Artist: Watanabe Seitei (渡辺省亭)

• Publisher: Shunyōdō, Tokyo

• Period: Meiji era, around 1890

• Technique: Polychrome woodblock printing ( nishiki-e )

• Support: Original washi paper

• Dimensions: 27 × 19.5 cm

• Condition: Excellent – ​​very slight age-related creases, bright color, intact margins

Watanabe Seitei is one of the major artists of the Meiji period, recognized for having fused traditional Japanese techniques with Western naturalistic sensibilities.
His floral and ornithological compositions strongly inspired European Art Nouveau and are now preserved in several museums (Tokyo National Museum, Musée Guimet, British Museum).