Among the ambitious Asian artists who travelled to France in the early 20th century, Foujita was one of the few who chose to remain in Paris, establishing himself as a leading figure of the École de Paris alongside contemporaries such as Amedeo Modigliani and Pablo Picasso. Spending much of his life in a foreign land, he cultivated a dynamic dialogue between his Japanese heritage and the Western artistic canon. Drawing upon European forms, techniques and subject matter to expand his artistic vocabulary, he simultaneously infused Western art with a distinctly Japanese sensibility, reimagining its traditions through his own lens. This creative alchemy—expressed through his poetic portrayals of people and intimate scenes of everyday life—ultimately forged a singular visual language that left an enduring mark on 20th-century art.Marking the 140th anniversary of Foujita's birth, The Foujita Lexicon: Works from the Lewis Collection will be offered in Sotheby’s Hong Kong.
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