b. Asakusa district of Tokyo

His original name was Matsumoto Katsutaro. He was adopted into the Takahashi family and was then known as Takahashi Katsutaro. In 1907 he adopted the art name of “Shotei”. He was an early designer of woodblock prints for Watanabe Shozaburo, creating some 500 prints in the Edo period style, prior to the great Kanto earthquake, during which all the blocks were destroyed. After that he again created about 250 additional prints for Watanabe. Some of these were re-carved versions of the destroyed blocks. In 1921 he had changed his name to Hiroaki but retained use of the seal “Shotei” as that was now well known abroad where his prints had great success. As the blocks are undated, only a date of circa 1924-1927 is assigned to his post earthquake prints. There is no record in the Watanabe catalogues or listings of any new works after 1927, but prints from older blocks can have later Watanabe copyright seals.

After Watanabe, he made designs for publisher Fusui-gabo. Here he produced prints of landscapes and beautiful young women, all under the name “Hiroaki”.

In the life history of Hiroaki, Mr. Shimizu Hisao, using family records, states that he died on Feb. 11, 1945 of pneumonia and his gravestone is at “Jushoin”. His wife, Haru, died in Dec. 1946.