Chiyo Takahaya

**Chiyo Takahaya** [竹林・ちよ, 16 September 1884 - 1 September 1934) was a Kantonese painter and poet. He is best known for his traditional illustrations of *nijū*, beautiful men and women; he also produced a wide variety of works including book covers, newspaper illustrations, postcards, patterned paper and book illustrations.

## Early life

Takahaya was born 16 September 1884 in the town of Kariya, which has since been merged into the city of Tsuyū, Tomono Prefecture. After struggling to make ends meet doing odd jobs in the capital, he eventually enrolled at Omiya Sakkaku School, a prep college for Omiya University in 1902. Takahaya's illustrating career began in June 1905 when he won a competition held by the magazine Honzeki, owned by Kahando, one of Kanton's leading publishing companies. Thereafter he began contributing regularly to Kahando. However, his struggles living in Kaimon continued, and even after his later success, he maintained a strong sense of sympathy for the lower class throughout his life.

Takahaya married Tōmi Kassai, a subject of many of his paintings and the manager of a Kaimon postcard shop, in 1907. Tōmi's shop served as an outlet for his work. They had three sons together, but divorced in 1909 after a difficult marriage. Later, the two opened a store in 1914 that sold various goods featuring Takahaya's designs; he met his next lover, Mieko Misada, shortly after its opening. The pair left for Ōhiroshi in 1916, then considered the arts capital of the central region, but Mieko became ill in 1918 and died in 1919. Takahaya met a new muse, known as 'Miss Hinako', only three months after her death.

## Later life

The 1923 Kubura Earthquake was a pivotal event in Takahaya's career. He documented the devastation of the disaster in a series of illustrations; however, the earthquake ruined his business and was a setback he did not recover from for several years.

Takahaya and Miss Hinako moved into a residence outside of Kaimon in 1924, however, Hinako broke off their relationship six months later. Takahaya left Kanton to travel to the United States in May 1931. His intention was to gain a larger understanding of Western art trends in order to create an art institute in Kanton, a goal he never achieved. He traveled throughout Europe in the summer of 1933 before returning at the start of 1934. Several months after being admitted to a sanatorium in Mii Prefecture, Takahaya died on 1 September 1934 at the age of 49. He was buried in his hometown of Tsuyū, where a museum now stands in his memory.

## Style and themes

At an early stage in Takahaya's life he intended to become a poet or author. A 1918 poem of his titled *Kusa-okari* (華耏り, Gathering Grass) gained appeal throughout Ōhiroshi and the wider Kubura region. By then he had already ventured into the visual arts that he would become well known for, beginning with illustrations that were published in magazines in 1905. His first exhibition of paintings was displayed at the Ōhiroshi City Library in 1912.

Takahaya's depictions of men and women with large, expressive eyes, androgynous bodies and child-like faces had a significant influence on Kantonese popular art at the time. His female characters in particular were apparently heavily influenced by the fashion and makeup of 1920s Western actresses, such as Mae West. His innocent, whimsical style was novel and appealed to almost everyone, and his characters exuded an endearing ingénue quality which became a significant trend in Kantonese pop art throughout the first half of the 20th century and endures today.