To my knowledge, the only reference to the artist Kakei is in the book "The new wave". Discussing Watanabe's publishing business circa 1908, Okamoto Hiromi and Henry D. Smith II wrote (on page 29): "In addition to Shôtei and Sôzan, these early Watanabe productions also bear the seals or signatures of other artists who today remain largely obscure - names such as Shun'yô, Kakei, Fuyô, and Shûrei. Most of these works were in small- and medium-size formats and seem to have often been applied to calendars or Christmas cards". In a footnote, they go on to explain that "Fuyô" is an early name for Narazaki Eisho. I am convinced that Kakei is an early name for Takahashi Shôtei. | ||||
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Catalog:
Here are all of the Kakei images that I have been able to find. If you have access to any additional Kakei
prints, please get in touch so that I can add them to this page.
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Path to Fuji |
Forest of Awade |
Wedding Party |
Tokaido Post Station in the Snow |
Evening Village and Bridge |
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Nihonmatsu |
Sekiyajima |
Evening at Shinagawa |
Anamori Inari |
Yushima Tenjin Shrine |
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Kamakura |
Snow by the River |
Ocha no Mizu |
Kiso Swinging Bridge |
Doukannyama |
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Nakagawa |
Suspension Bridge at Hida |
Ryogoku |
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Stylistic Similarities with Shôtei:
It seems clear to me that even the most skeptical observer must acknowledge that there is a common
"feel" between the prints of Kakei and Shôtei.
Here is a display of certain details extracted from Kakei and Shotei prints which tend to reinforce my
theory that they are the same artist.
The upper image to the right is a detail from Shôtei print M-9, Evening glow at Sakawa Bridge.
The lower image is from Kakei print K-4, Village in the Snow.
There is a certain point in the human stride where the trailing foot is about to be raised.
The great majority of the figures in Shôtei's prints are pictured at just that point.
It is interesting to note that Hiroshige also had a tendency to render his figures in the same position.
K-1, K-2, and K-5 also have figures in the same pose.
The upper image to the right is a detail from Shôtei print M-59, Vesper-bells in the village.
The lower image is from Kakei print K-1, Path to Fuji.
I'm thinking that pagoda structures offer lots of nooks and crannies within which birds can nest
or roost. But, when the bells ring, the birds are temporarily disturbed and fly around.
In addition to M-59, Shôtei has captured this moment on prints M-88, C-21, S-3, S-9, and S-14,
in the Shôtei catalog.
The left image is a detail from Shôtei print M-56, Woman returning from a bath.
The right image is from Kakei print K-6, Snowy Village.
Japanese towns, with light construction and paper walls, were quite a fire hazard.
In order to catch fires before they might get out of control, many towns had fire lookouts, which
resembled large ladders with platforms attached.
It's unusual for an artist to display these, but Shôtei did. See also the background in print M-80.
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Kakei's K-8 (left), Evening at Shinagawa, is the pre-earthquake version of Shôtei's M-6 (right),
with the same title.
It seems very unlikely to me that Shôtei would copy the work of another Watanabe artist with whom he had
worked and attribute the post-earthquake version to himself.
It is much more likely that there was no "other" artist.
For more information about pre- and post-earthquake Shôtei prints, be sure to see the
Variant Shotei Print Designs page.
Here is another example, Nihonmatsu, with Kakei's K-6 on the left and Shôtei's M-107 on the right.
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| Home | Copyright 2002-2006 by Marc Kahn; All Rights Reserved | |||
The Stride:
Pagoda Birds:
Fire Lookout:
Same Image; Pre- and Post-Earthquake Versions:
