Takato Yamamoto

Takato Yamamoto (山本タカト), born on January 15 1960, is a Japanese painter and illustrator. Yamamoto is known for a unique style combining elements of Japanese ukiyo e prints, with gothic symbolism and European art. The term Yamamoto coined to describe his style is "Heisei Aestheticism" combining the graphical quality of the late 19th century Aesthetics movement of Europe, with the post 1989 world of modern Japan. This creates a style that is both ethereal and also grotesquely visceral. His stylistic approach even extends to the very books containing his works, making them art objects in and of themselves. Along with his own art, Yamamoto has made posters and novel covers for Japanese mystery and horror novels, and even lent his talents to the videogame Metal Gear Solid 2, producing an illustration of Raiden. His style is equal parts Hiroshige and Aubrey Beardsley. In 2018, he held a solo exhibition "Nosferatu," which marked the 20th anniversary of his Heisei Aestheticism debut in 1998.