This "western-style" or "Yōga" (洋画) oil painting by Japanese artist Fujishima Takeji (藤島武二) was first exhibited at the 9th Bunten Exhibition (9回文展) in 1915. It depicts a young woman, likely of Asian descent, seated at a table. Her expression is serious, almost melancholic, with averted gaze and a slightly pursed mouth. Her pose is relaxed yet refined; she rests her chin in her hand, her elbow gracefully on the table. She wears a long-sleeved pink robe with a subtle, dark patterned design throughout. A darker purple scarf or trim is draped loosely around her neck and shoulders. A small, dark gold-colored earring dangles from one ear. A large ring adorns one of her fingers. The table, upon which she rests her arm and hand, is covered with a richly colored cloth in shades of purple, maroon, and gold, showing various textures and patterns in the brushstrokes. A small, dark, almost black perfume bottle sits on the table in front of her. To the left of the woman, a tall, slender vase holds a bouquet of light pink and red carnations. The background is a soft, muted purple-grey, created with loose and expressive brushstrokes. The background is not sharply defined, lending an ethereal quality to the scene. The muted color palette, the woman's expression, and the soft, undefined background all contribute to this thoughtful and somewhat wistful feeling. Born in Kagoshima in 1867, Fujishima was noted for his work in spreading Romanticism and Impressionism within the late 19th- and early 20th-century Japanese art scene. Travelling to France in 1905, Fujishima studied historical painting at the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and portraiture at the French Academy in Rome. He returned to Japan in 1910 and became a professor at the Tokyo Art School and a member of the Imperial Art Academy. In 1937, he was one of the first recipients of the "Order of Culture" of the Japanese government.
匂い (Perfume) by Fujishima Takeji / 藤島武二 (Japanese) - Oil on canvas / 1915 - National Museum of Modern Art (Tokyo, Japan) #WomenInArt #ArtText #art #artwork #JapaneseArt #洋画 #JapaneseArtist #東京国立近代美術館 #FujishimaTakeji #Fujishima #藤島武二 #womensart #PortraitofaWoman #perfume #1910s #MOMAT #ArtOfTheDay
