Tatsuo Takayama, The Hill with a Castle
Quiet and nostalgic, with distant voices echoing through the air. The large road before me winds toward the far hill and into the village. The houses line up from right to left, and on the hilltop rises a castle with beautifully colored roofs, appearing just as in ages past.
—From To Assisi, May 1978, near Villefranche, France
This work was executed solely in ink, capturing the landscape of Villefranche glimpsed from afar. The castle on the hill and the village beneath are rendered with subtle gradations of ink, where even the outlines carry tonal variation. The winding road that leads from the foreground up toward the hill and into the village provides depth and rhythm to the composition.
The presence of the castle and church seems to have left a strong impression on Takayama, their silhouettes anchoring the scene with quiet dignity. Without attempting to depict every mountain or building in detail, he distills the essence of the view into a few decisive strokes, allowing the viewer to sense both tranquility and nostalgia. By relying solely on ink, Takayama transforms the absence of color into an evocative presence, conveying a deeply personal encounter with place and memory.
