Foujita

After studying Western-style painting and Nihonga in the Meiji period of Japan, Foujita fulfilled his long-held dream of traveling to Paris, France, in 1913. By the 1920s, he became a celebrity among the European art capital’s eclectic, modernist crowd and found great attention for works on paper mainly consisting of nude figures, self-portraits, and cats. Financial difficulties led him to flee France to South America and the U.S. (1930-33), and ultimately, return to Japan (1933-49). During this time, Foujita dedicated his work to promoting Imperial Japan’s war efforts, from which his reputation greatly suffered following the country’s defeat by the Allied Powers in 1947. Harshly criticized by many of his contemporaries, Foujita was unable to find his footing in Japan and the U.S. After immigrating to France in 1950 and becoming a French citizen and a converted Catholic, Foujita dedicated his work to religious subjects until his death in 1968.

Authored by Anna Lee, curatorial assistant for Asian American art, 2025.