Tsuguharu Foujita

Sale: Hôtel Drouot, Paris, December 12, 1932, lot 65
Private Collection, Japan
Sale: Sotheby Parke-Bernet, Inc., New York, November 8, 1979, lot 748
Private Collection (acquired at the above sale)
A gift from the above

Executed on beige wove paper which has been affixed to a mount along the top edge of the verso of the sheet. The left and right edges of the sheet are deckled, and overall the sheet is gently undulating throughout. The surface is a little dirty and time-darkened, with extremely faint signs of stable foxing visible underneath the watercolor. There is a minor possible loss to the extreme upper right corner which may well be original to the time of execution. The work is in good condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In 1913, after studying at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in his native Japan, Foujita arrived in Paris, the epicenter of international artistic innovation at the time. The artist settled in Montparnasse and quickly acquainted himself with modern masters such as Picasso, Modigliani and Léger. Immersed in the milieu of the city and as a leading member of the École de Paris, Foujita’s vanguard output underscores his distinctive experience as a Japanese artist in the West. In La Femme au miroir, his disparate and varying influences are particularly evident in his handling and choice of the materials. The gold leaf defining the background harkens to Renaissance aesthetics, while the watercolor applied with a fine brush, pen and ink offers a decisive allusion to traditional Japanese art.