Takayama Tatsuo

Exhibition January 19 − February 23, 2019
Tokyo Galler presents the work of the artist Takayama Tatsuo. The exhibition includes the latest paintings by the artist. Takayama Tatsuo is the most representative master of Japanese painting. In his works are presented traditional figures, landscapes, flowers, wall compositions, engravers and illustrators with a western trend.

Born in Japan in 1912, Takayama began studying painting at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now the Tokyo University of the Arts). Under the influence of the West, the master devoted himself to the search for realism before World War II, although he used calm tones. After the war, the discrepancy between Japanese traditional painting and the reality of post-war Japan made the artist doubt his style. Takayama read the biography of Paul Gauguin, which greatly influenced his painting style and approach to life. He began to paint deformed, abstract works that included non-traditional color. In the 1970s, the painter began to create monochrome paintings, reminiscent of Sumi (ink drawing). At the end of his life, the artist continued to create independent interpretations of seng [line drawings], which characterize Asian art, and made intentional use of the effect of ink bleeding. He died in 2007.