Exhibition/event has ended.
Time of War - In Japan, Tsuguharu Foujita: From Everyday Life to Wartime
Musée Ando à Karuizawa
Finished
SHARE
Artists
Tsuguharu Foujita
In the 1920s, Tsuguharu Foujita rose to fame with his nude painting "Milk White Skin". After a brief return to Japan in 1929 for his homecoming exhibition, he made Japan his base from 1933, and from 1938 onwards, he produced war paintings as a military artist. However, after the war, troubled by issues of war responsibility, Foujita left for France via New York in 1949 and never returned to Japan again.
During the 1930s, when Foujita stayed in Japan for an extended period, despite the approaching war, he remained enthusiastic about creating art. Drawing on his experiences in France and Central and South America, he undertook numerous mural projects and painted portraits, including those of people he encountered in Mexico. He also produced many Japanese-style paintings during his time in Japan. In 1934, he joined the Nika Association, demonstrating his commitment to active participation in Japan. Foujita also received missions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others to promote Japanese culture abroad, traveling extensively throughout Japan to depict its landscapes, customs, and traditions. During this period, he left behind numerous writings about Japan. Until the war escalated, Foujita energetically promoted France through his artwork and writings as an "international person".
With the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Foujita, like many other painters, became a military artist, devoting himself to creating work for his homeland. His Western motifs disappeared from his work, and his style shifted towards more Japanese themes. Subsequently, he focused on depicting life on the home front and scenes from the battlefield. However, in April 1939, Foujita suddenly departed Japan with his fifth wife, Kimiyo, for Paris. He remained in France until the deteriorating war situation forced him to return to Japan in May 1940. Thereafter, he shaved his head and produced numerous large-scale war paintings, fulfilling his duty as a military artist.
Foujita stated that his reason for going to France was to contribute to international goodwill through art, but the true reason remains unclear. According to his diaries and notebooks from 1939, apart from being in wartime, there were few significant changes from his previous life in Paris, where he continued to create art daily and interacted extensively with local Japanese residents. He was sensitive to the war situation and meticulously documented events during wartime. Upon returning to Japan, Foujita immersed himself in creating war paintings, including "The Battle of Attu Island" (1943, oil on canvas, Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art collection).
This exhibition focuses on Foujita's time in Japan during the 1930s and 1940s, between his acclaimed days in the École de Paris and his post-war life in France. It presents Foujita's work created amidst the encroaching war in everyday life, along with valuable portrait photographs taken by Ken Domon.
During the 1930s, when Foujita stayed in Japan for an extended period, despite the approaching war, he remained enthusiastic about creating art. Drawing on his experiences in France and Central and South America, he undertook numerous mural projects and painted portraits, including those of people he encountered in Mexico. He also produced many Japanese-style paintings during his time in Japan. In 1934, he joined the Nika Association, demonstrating his commitment to active participation in Japan. Foujita also received missions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others to promote Japanese culture abroad, traveling extensively throughout Japan to depict its landscapes, customs, and traditions. During this period, he left behind numerous writings about Japan. Until the war escalated, Foujita energetically promoted France through his artwork and writings as an "international person".
With the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1937, Foujita, like many other painters, became a military artist, devoting himself to creating work for his homeland. His Western motifs disappeared from his work, and his style shifted towards more Japanese themes. Subsequently, he focused on depicting life on the home front and scenes from the battlefield. However, in April 1939, Foujita suddenly departed Japan with his fifth wife, Kimiyo, for Paris. He remained in France until the deteriorating war situation forced him to return to Japan in May 1940. Thereafter, he shaved his head and produced numerous large-scale war paintings, fulfilling his duty as a military artist.
Foujita stated that his reason for going to France was to contribute to international goodwill through art, but the true reason remains unclear. According to his diaries and notebooks from 1939, apart from being in wartime, there were few significant changes from his previous life in Paris, where he continued to create art daily and interacted extensively with local Japanese residents. He was sensitive to the war situation and meticulously documented events during wartime. Upon returning to Japan, Foujita immersed himself in creating war paintings, including "The Battle of Attu Island" (1943, oil on canvas, Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art collection).
This exhibition focuses on Foujita's time in Japan during the 1930s and 1940s, between his acclaimed days in the École de Paris and his post-war life in France. It presents Foujita's work created amidst the encroaching war in everyday life, along with valuable portrait photographs taken by Ken Domon.
Schedule | Jul 25 (Thu) 2024-Sep 24 (Tue) 2024 Opening Hours Information
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fee | Adults ¥2300, High School Students and Under ¥1100, Infants free, Persons with Disability Certificates Half price. | ||||
| Venue | Musée Ando à Karuizawa https://www.musee-ando.com/  | ||||
| Location | 43-10 Karuizawahigashi, Karuizawamachi, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano 389-0104 | ||||
| Access | 8 minute walk from the North exit of Karuizawa Station on the JR or Shinano Tetsudo line. | ||||
| Phone | 0267-42-1230 |
Back to Articles
SHARE
No comments yet