Mother and Child, 1964
Private Preview
Details
Signed lower right “L. F. 1964”.
Sizes:
Frame: 88.8 × 71.7 cm | 35 × 28.2 in
Artwork: 69.5 × 52 cm | 27.4 × 20.5 in
This elegant lithograph on paper by the renowned Japanese-French artist Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita (1886–1968) depicts a tender “Madonna and Child” scene. The work is characterized by Foujita’s signature delicate, fine-line aesthetic, blending traditional Japanese ink techniques with Western classical themes. The flowing, serpentine lines of the mother’s hair and the soft, ethereal rendering of the figures’ expressions evoke a sense of serene intimacy and timelessness.
The piece is signed “L. Foujita” in the lower right, accompanied by the initials “L.F.” and the date “64.” On the lower left, it is inscribed “E.A.” (Épreuve d’Artiste), identifying it as a rare artist’s proof from the edition. The work is elegantly presented in a dark marbled frame with a deep green mat, preserved in excellent condition. This lithograph represents a quintessential example of Foujita’s late-period graphic work, making it a highly desirable acquisition for collectors of the School of Paris.
Certificate of Authenticity
Included (Issued by Aurora & Athena).
Shipping
We will be pleased to assist with shipping arrangements. Please contact us for further details.
Conditions of Sale
Inquire about this lot
Have a question about this work?
Fill out the form below and our team will get back to you shortly.
Tsuguharu Foujita
Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita (1886–1968) was a pioneering Japanese-French painter and printmaker who became one of the most celebrated and flamboyant figures of the École de Paris. Born in Tokyo, Foujita moved to Paris in 1913, where he befriended Amedeo Modigliani, Pablo Picasso, and Chaim Soutine. He revolutionized modern portraiture by seamlessly blending traditional Japanese ink painting (Sumi-e) with Western modernist aesthetics. Foujita achieved international acclaim for his distinctive technique of creating a milky-white, porcelain-like canvas base (grand fond blanc), onto which he rendered delicate, hair-thin black outlines.
Renowned for his poetic portrayals of cats, elegant female nudes, and sensitive self-portraits, Foujita’s work bridges Eastern line drawing and European draftsmanship with unmatched finesse. Throughout his prolific career, he exhibited widely across Europe, South America, and Japan, earning prestigious honors, including the French Legion of Honor. Following his conversion to Catholicism in 1959, he dedicated his later years to religious art, culminating in the design and decoration of the Chapel of Saint-Léonard in Reims. Today, Foujita’s masterpieces are held in major museum collections worldwide and remain highly sought after by discerning collectors of 20th-century art.