Self Portrait 1931

Tsuguharu Foujita made this self-portrait, likely in oil, surrounded by the tools of his trade. The way he depicts himself and his studio has an incredible softness. Look at the pale colour palette and how delicately he renders the light filtering through the space! I'm thinking he’s staring back at himself in the mirror, contemplating his own image with a mix of curiosity and self-reflection. You can almost feel the weight of his gaze, and the concentration it takes to paint oneself. I wonder if he was thinking about other artists who had attempted self-portraits before him, like Rembrandt or Van Gogh. He’s totally part of an ongoing conversation with them. He paints with this incredible precision, capturing every detail with loving care, from the tiny hairs on the cat to the folds in his shirt. It's this tender quality which gives the painting its quiet intensity. Foujita makes a timeless image which invites us to contemplate the mysteries of identity and representation.