Léonard FOUJITA - Ryo Yanagi - original drawing 1926
Ryo Yanagi, (1926)
Ink and ink wash drawing, signed lower right on wove paper.
Dimensions: 29 x 21.8 cm (at sight)
This is most likely the Japanese art critic Ryo Yanagi who made several trips to Paris, and who on each of them did not fail to greet his friend Foujita in his studio. This drawing from 1926 should be contextualized in the famous Roaring Twenties, a time when the capital shone in the art world. Foujita was the only Japanese to have taken the risk of settling in Paris, in the Montparnasse district, blending into the local artistic circles, a friend of Salmon, Picasso and Modigliani. Many Japanese frequented the district at that time, the journey took about 45 days from Japan. But unlike Foujita, they kept to themselves, moreover the rue Daguerre had been nicknamed the Japanese street. Then, many of them returned to Japan, once they had obtained the recognition of the Parisian salons to ensure a successful artistic career in Japan.
This emotional drawing is extremely rich. Indeed, Foujita took the time to sketch his friend, Ryo Yanagi, by caricaturing him, which is unusual for the Japanese artist who would never have allowed himself such freedom for an official commission.
Certificate of inclusion in the supplement to the catalogue raisonné currently being prepared by Madame Sylvie Buisson.
Dimensions :
- Height : 29 cm
- Width : 21,8 cm
Tsuguharu Foujita :
Born in Tokyo in 1886, Tsugouharu Foujita or Tsuguharu Fujita is a complete artist (painter, draughtsman, engraver, illustrator, ceramicist, photographer, filmaker, fashion designer...) internationally recognized. When he arrived in Montparnasse in 1913, cubists compositions and The Douanier Rousseau's paintings from Picasso's workshop pushed him to join The modern art avant-garde. Foujita became one of the most important "École de Paris" members (coming out in 1918). He became friends with Modigliani, Pascin, Moïse Kisling, Chana Orloff, Soutine, Derain, Vlaminck, Fernand Léger, Juan Gris, Matisse... His first own exhibition in june 1917 is a success; he exhibits 110 watercolors in a half-japanese half-gothic style. He is presented in all the painting shows in Paris, Brussels, Germany, US and Japan. The 20's in Montparnasse were the climax of his career : His paintings representing women, children and cats enter the greatest art collections. In 1955, he obtained the french nationality. He converted to catholicism 4 years later and took the name Léonard. In 1964, he decided with René Lalou to build and decorate The Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix Chapel (Foujita Chapel) in Reims. Léonard Foujita died in 1968 in Zurich.
