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Leonard
Foujita (1886 - 1967)
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Born
and educated in Japan but moved to Paris in 1913. Foujita lived a bohemian
lifestyle in Montparnasse where he made the acquaintance of Picasso, Van
Dongen, Modigliani and others who inspired him to paint in the Cubist
manner.
He went on to create his own style drawing on his Oriental heritage and
his European surroundings. Foujita enjoyed success in France and was named
"Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur de France" and "Chevalier de l'ordre
de Leopolde de Belgique". After a 17 year absence he returned to exhibit
in his homeland and spent time in North and South America.
He became a French citizen in 1955 and converted to Catholicism four years
later. At the age of 80, he completed his last major work - creating the
Chapelle Notre-Dame de la Paix in Reims. Some of his illustrated books
include "Betes & Cie," 1928; "A Book of Cats," 1930 and
"La Mesangere," 1963.
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