Léonard Tsuguharu FOUJITA - Small trades & small-time earner, 1960 - Engraved wood signed in the plate

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.