"Female artists play a significant role in Japan’s art world today, but a century ago, only a few women made a mark in the then male-dominated field. Shoen Uemura stands out as one of the most successful, a status she earned through the relentless study and perfection of her chosen theme of bijin-ga — pictures of beautiful women. Her father having died just 2 months [before her birth], she was brought up by her mother, who ran a Kyoto tea shop. While her mother served the customers, the young Uemura drew pictures in a corner of the shop. Even before she began formal art training at age 12, her pictures had earned her a reputation among the shop’s customers. By age 15, she was exhibiting her work and went on to win not only awards in official art contests but also commissions from private patrons. Though the subjects of bijin-ga woodblock prints were usually courtesans, Uemura portrayed ordinary women, either dressed up to go out or pictured in private, domestic moments. ...Uemura died of cancer in 1949, one year after becoming the first woman to be awarded the Order of Culture." Complete article with descriptions of some works at http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2010/09/24/arts/women-of-quiet-strength/#.VvZ6o3DBdWZ "She made a habit of carrying around small sketchpads she fashioned herself from glassine paper and used them to do studies of famous paintings of the past, sketches of people in different postures and expressions and studies of plants and trees." http://kawamura-museum.dic.co.jp/en/exhibition/201102_shoen.html "Uemura Shōen (上村 松園?, April 23, 1875-Aug. 27, 1949) was the pseudonym of an important female artist in Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa period Japanese painting. Her real name was Uemura Tsune. Shōen was known primarily for her bijinga paintings of beautiful women in the nihonga style, although she also produced numerous works on historical themes and traditional subjects...." More at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uemura_Sh%C5%8Den undefined

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