Artists, writers, models and creatives met, partied, and worked in the cafes, bars and restaurants of Montparnasse, the 14th arrondissement of Paris. In the early 20th century, artists drawn to Paris dreaming of success included Picasso from Spain, Modigliani from Italy and their friend Tsugouharu Foujtia from Japan. Foujita enjoyed huge success for his blend of Japanese painting techniques and European conventions. His paintings of women, children and cats are on view in Foujita’s Cats &c., a new exhibition at the Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery opening today, June 7, and running through September 18, 2022. The exhibit includes some of Foujita’s felines as well as Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints of cats.
Chat noir assis, 1929
Gift of Sir John Figgess from the estate of Helen J. Folster
Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery 1988.017
Please join us for curator’s tours on the 1st Tuesday of each month at noon:
July 5 Foujita & cats
August 2 Cats in Japanese art & culture
September 6 Foujita
Please join us for Art Comforts drop-in program on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 3 p.m.:
June 8
July 6
August 3
September 7
The gallery is open Tuesday–Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more details, please contact the Fine Arts Gallery.