There is at
present a Foujita exhibition at the Maillol Museum (I wrote about the museum
here). Have you ever really noticed how Foujita painted eyes, hair, cats… (and
dogs)?
I have no
intention here to tell the life of Foujita (18896-1968), who spent many years
in France (you can do that e.g. here), I just wanted to illustrate more in
detail some of his techniques… The top
picture shows his own eyes, a detail of one of his self-portraits (1928).
Here are
some other examples of his very personal (Japanese-European) style, with
details from the self-portrait. His love for cats is well-known – in 1930 he
even published a “Book of Cats” for which you would have to pay a
fortune today, if you can find it.
More
examples of eyes, hair, cats …
… and even
a dog.
I was
pleased to find a painting from the Cité Falguière on which I posted here and
where Foujita spent some of the WWI years.
The
exhibition also showed a portrait of the French actor and film director Gérard
Oury (1919-2006), from 1927, when he was 8 years old. Oury is responsible of a
number of popular films with Louis de Funès, Bourvil, Yves Montand, David
Niven, Terry Thomas, J-P Belmondo… and here we can see him together with his long
time life partner Michèle Morgan and his daughter Danielle Thompson, who now
owns the little portrait.
Posts
4 comments:
Reading your blog, I learn something new each time around. Thanks.
Not knowing Foujita at all, I thought that first image (just the glasses) was Harry Potter! I love his cats -- he really captures their attitude so beautifully. And the other work is lovely. I had no idea. Thank you, peter!
Many of La Rotonde's male customers envied Foujita. A regular at this bistro himself, he always managed to be surrounded by beautiful ladies.
What a lovely portrait of the 8 year old Gérard Oury!!
Thank you, Peter.
Maria
I must say, I do like his cats, and his rendering of hair is lovely. Thank you, Peter!
Kathryn
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