Couturier Cat 1927

Tsuguharu Foujita made this painting of a cat with sewing tools, maybe in the 1920s, with delicate brushstrokes and a very muted palette. I find Foujita’s muted palette here really interesting. It’s almost like he’s whispering a secret, drawing us in close to decipher the details. The cat's eyes are so striking, like liquid gold against the subtle greys and browns of its fur. I love how he's captured the texture of the fur, so soft and fluffy. Then, next to the mischievous feline, we see the tools of the couturier. The contrast is charming. It is as though the cat is plotting, and perhaps this is the nature of art too, planning how to piece things together. It reminds me a little of Balthus, that same sense of stillness and latent energy, and perhaps a touch of humour too. Art's like that, a playful conversation across time and space.