Lot 155
Tsuguharu Foujita (1886-1968)
Lot 155 Details
Tsuguharu Foujita (1886-1968), Japanese/French
66 PEN AND INK DRAWINGS FOR THE BOOK LEGENDES JAPONAISES RECEUILLIES ET ILLUSTREES PAR T. FOUJITA AND A COPY OF THE BOOK, NUMBERED 1 OF THE EDITION OF 100 COPIES ON “PAPIER DES MANUFACTURES DU JAPON” ASIDE FROM THE EDITION OF 2000, COPYRIGHT BY EDITIONS DE L’ABEILLE D’OR, PARIS, IN DECEMBER, 1922, PUBLISHED BY R.H. COULOUMA AT ARGENTEUIL, APRIL 1963, PREFACE BY CLAUDE FARRERI. PAPERBACK, 85 NUMBERED PAGES, ORIGINAL LIMP PAPER BOARDS, TRANSLATIONS AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY FOUJITA, DRAWN ON T
Including 18 full page annotated pen and ink drawings with watercolour tissue overlays, for illustrations including pages opposite:
TAMATORI - The Frontispiece;
TAMATORI 1 - pg. 14 opposite;
TAMATORI 2 - pg. 18 opposite;
URASHIMA - pg. 26 opposite;
URASHIMA 2 - pg. 28 opposite;
YORO NO TAKI 1 – pg. 32 opposite;
YORO NO TAKI 2 – pg. 34 opposite;
UBASOUTE YAMA 1 - pg. 42 opposite;
UBASOUTE YAMA 2 - pg. 44 opposite;
HAGOROMO 1 – pg. 56 opposite;
HAGOROMO 2 - pg. 58 opposite;
YORIMASA 1 - pg. 68 opposite;
YORIMASA 2 - pg. 70 opposite;
KUSANAGI - pg. 74 opposite;
KUSANAGI 2 - pg. 76 opposite;
NINTOKU TENNO 1 – pg. 82 opposite;
NINTOKU TENNO 2 - pg. 84 opposite;
REVERSE BACK COVER
Each approximately, 9” x 6” — 22.8 x 15.24 cm.
And
12 medium size pen and ink drawings, some with overlays and watercolour wash, other drawings heightened with watercolour including:
YORO NO TAKI - pg. 7 and 10;
TAMATORI - pg. 13;
DOJOJI - pg. 21;
URASHIMA - pg. 25;
MATSU YAMA KAGAMI - pg 35;
UBASOUTE YAMA (TEL) - pg. 41;
ISHIDO MARN - pg. 47;
HAGOROMO (TEL) - pg. 55;
OYEYAMA - pg. 59;
YORIMASA - pg. 67;
KUSANAGI - pg. 73;
MINTOKU TENNO - pg. 81;
Each approximately 4.1” x 4.3” - 10.5 x 11 cm.
And
17 small vignettes and tailpieces for 22 illustrations (some are repeated in the book ) including:
SHINODA ZUMA - frontpiece
LETTER I - pg. 13;
TAMATORI - pg. 18;
TAMATORI - pg. 19;
LETTER A - pg.21 (also pg. 37, pg. 67, pg. 81, pg. 77);
DOJOJI - pg. 24;
LETTER D - pg. 25 (and pg. 35);
HAGOROMO - pg. 28;
UBASOUTE YAMA, TEL - pg. 34;
MATSUYAMA KAGAMI - pg. 39;
UBASOUTE – YAMA- pg. 45;
ISHIDO MARN - pg. 51;
URASHIMA - pg. 58;
OYEYAMA - pg. 65;
LETTER K - pg. 73;
KUSANAGI (LE FEU) - pg. 76;
NINTOKU TENNO (LE FEU)- pg. 85
Various sizes from approximately 1.6” x 1.5” - 4 x 3.7 cm. and larger, approximately 2.7” x 1.6” - 7 x 4 cm.
And
19 Pen and ink drawings for banners including:
TAMATORI ET URASHIMA - pg. 14;
TAMATORI ET URASHIMA - pg. 15;
TAMATORI ET URASHIMA - pg. 16;
TAMATORI ET URASHIMA - pg. 17 and 26
TAMATORI ET URASHIMA- pg. 18;
YORO NO TAKI ET UBASOUTE YAMA - pg. 32;
YORO NO TAKI ET UBASOUTE YAMA - pg. 33;
YORO NO TAKI ET UBASOUTE YAMA - pg. 34;
YORO NO TAKI ET UBASOUTE YAMA - pg. 36;
YORO NO TAKI ET UBASOUTE YAMA - pg. 37;
HAGOROMO ET YORIMASA - pg. 56;
HAGOROMO ET YORIMASA BANDEAU - pg. 57
HAGOROMO ET YORIMASA- pg. 58;
HAGOROMO ET YORIMASA- pg. 60;
YORIMASA ET HAGOROMO - Pg. 61;
KUSANAGI – pg. 75;
KUSANAGI NINOTKU TENNO (LE FEU) - pg 76;
KUSANAGI NO MIKOTO (LE FEU)- pg. 78
KUSANAGI NINTOKU TENNO (LE FEU) - pg. 79
Each approximately 2.3” x 6.3” - 5.8 x 16 cm.
Each drawing, except for the frontispieces, are titled in pencil and variously annotated, several have traces of pencil or heightened with white, many with tissue overlays heightened with watercolour wash, several have colour notes to the printer or size annotations, many have annotations verso: “faux decalique pour (l’eau, la terre, le ciel or le feu)”, some designs used more than once in the book, 4 drawings used in the book missing: the cover piece; the upper and lower banners to accompany TAMATORI (pg. 14 opposite); a small bird vignette (p. 70 tailpiece); and the design for pg. 74.
Matted in 39 folders.
Book overall: drawings various sizes 11" x 7" — 27.9 x 17.8 cm.
Estimate $30,000-$40,000
Additional Images
Provenance:
Eberhard Gallery, Switzerland;
Private Collection Montreal, P.Q.
Literature:
Sylvie et Dominique Buisson, Leonard-Tsuguharu Fouijita, ACR edition, 2001, Volume I, pgs. 102 and 576
Note:
This work is cited in the “Index Des Oeuvres” in the above catalogue raisonne by Sylvie et Dominique Buisson, Cat. No. B 23. 42 O, pg. 576.
In 1922, Foujita felt most patriotic in light of his successes in Paris. He embarked on gathering the legends of his country, Legendes japonaises, which touch on the 4 fundamental elements of the universe - water, earth, the sky and fire. He composed 17 colour drawings “totally Japanese” to be included in the book.
The original drawings are copiously annotated and although those with tissue overlays hand-coloured with watercolour are faded and browned, the pen and ink drawing of, TAMATORI I, is clearly annotated in Foujita’s hand, “Epreuvres Colours”.