Japanese-Style Drawings of Beautiful Women - Skills Used Contrast to Those Behind Mona Lisa

OHTAKE Goyoh, Japanese-style picture artist

A movie about Dan BROWN's novel "THE DA VINCI CODE" that discloses a message hidden by the Renaissance genius in his pictures has been filmed and Leonardo da Vinci is now in the spotlight. The "Mona Lisa," the most famous picture in the world, was painted by Leonardo as everyone knows. Her mysterious smile is too famous, but did you know that Leonardo did not use an outline to draw the Mona Lisa?

Japanese-style painting is on the other extreme of art with the skill of Leonardo used to make it real. It is well known that ukiyoe, in which the customs and fashions of the Edo period (1603~1867) were drawn, had a great influence on impressionist artists such as van GOGH, CEZANCE and MONET. In traditional Japanese pictures, the outline is said to be vital. So-called "Beautiful women pictures" were drawn with beautiful outlines and this skill has carried through to the present.

Speaking of "Beautiful women pictures," the masters of this field in the modern age ITO Shinsui and his successor OHTAKE Goyoh. There are several schools in Japanese-style painting and the skills are passed on from generation to generation. This style of painting follows the same apprentice system as that in Japanese traditional entertainment and crafts. Goyoh was allowed to be a disciple of Shinsui and boarded at his master's home. "My master was my absolute existence and his studio was everything," Goyoh recalls.

"There are two types of artists. One expresses himself keeping to tradition, and the other expresses himself disregarding tradition and creating something new. I am the former." Goyoh holds onto the traditional skills with pride and confidence and draws beautiful women pictures. Shinsui had many distinguished apprentices, but Goyoh was the only one he made independent.

"I learnt that the beauty of beautiful women pictures lies in the outline. In the case of oil paintings, you can draw over the outline, but you cannot do this in Japanese-style paintings as the lines are drawn with one stroke. I draw while holding my breath." He says the most important lines are the face, hands and body line. He imagines how he will draw before starting. Delicate colors are created by combining paints. Experience is an important factor in Japanese paintings.

In Japanese art, women wearing kimono are often featured. Goyoh likes to draw maiko, who are teenagers at the stage before they become a geisha who entertains guests at banquets. He is not fond of drawing geisha. He likes the freshness and sincerity of maiko. When he has a favorite model, he says it is easier to draw and he unconsciously transforms her into his ideal woman.

Selling pictures is like father's emotions when sending off daughter
Sometimes it takes as long as one year to draw a picture. Goyoh spends much time preparing and thinking of ideas. When Goyoh starts to draw he purifies his mind. He says models each have their own peculiar habits. For instance, one maiko makes her big toe stand up while she is sleeping. Goyoh draws this habit precisely. This comes from his belief that natural postures are the most beautiful. He also pays attention so that the picture does not look unnatural when viewed from different angles.

Goyoh's pictures, drawn with tender care, will one day be sold. Goyoh says it is just like a father's feeling when he sends his daughter off to get married. "Indeed, I feel lonely. I have a strong feeling that my pictures will be treated well and with care by the buyers," he says. Since they are beautiful women pictures, he blends intensity of feeling into each picture. For him they are his sweethearts and dear daughters.

Goyoh took an interest in this kind of art when he saw a beautiful woman picture in a magazine when he was a 3rd grade pupil at elementary school. When he was 25 years old, he overcame his family's opposition and visited YASUDA Yukihiko, a master of historical pictures with his works with the aim of becoming a painter. "Master Yasuda, who saw my pictures, said, 'Master Ito, who is skilled at drawing beautiful women pictures, is more suitable for you than me.' and introduced me to him," explains Goyoh.

Afterwards, one of his paintings was selected for the first time to feature in the 1957 Nitten Art Exhibition. Since then he has received many awards including an award from the Ministry of Education. He has contributed to the spreading of Japanese-style pictures by holding his picture exhibitions in many places around Japan as well as in Britain and Spain. Twice a month, Goyoh hosts the "Ohtake Goyoh Japanese-style picture class" in Kamakura, where he lives with his wife and son, who is also a painter.

Kamakura is known as a historic town where many artists live and it was also the last place that Goyoh's master Ito Shinsui lived. In front of the living room of his house on a small hill, deep green colors and the blue sky create a feeling of eternal time. The beautiful women that Goyoh draws with devotion will also continue to live on in time like the Mona Lisa.

Ootake Goyoh official home page
URL：http://www.goyoh.com/

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