Profile 1952

Tsuguharu Foujita drew this profile portrait in Paris using delicate pencil strokes. Imagine him, a Japanese artist in Paris, drawn to the clean lines and subtle shading of Western portraiture. The subject's gaze is so direct, almost confrontational, yet there is an ambiguity that is so compelling. I get the sense of a real person, someone with thoughts, dreams, and maybe a little bit of melancholy. I wonder who she was, what stories she held. The economy of line is just incredible. The way Foujita captures the curve of her neck, the gentle slope of her nose, with so few strokes – it's almost like he's whispering secrets onto the page. There's a confidence in the simplicity. And the bow in her hair, how it contrasts with her skin: it shows you how important it is to play around with darkness and light. Ultimately, this drawing is a conversation between different cultures and artistic traditions. It reminds me that we're all influenced by what came before us, and that art is a constant process of translation and transformation.