Stunning painting, Nina by Yasushi Tanaka, Paris, 1920-1930
Yasushi Tanaka was a Japanese artist who began his artistic career in the United States in Seattle. He got famous for his depictions of North American landscapes, showing a great finesse and a sense of nature in his representations of lakes, fjords, and oceanic shores.
Tanaka was a highly cultured artist, he visited numerous museums and exhibitions, developing a passion for French painting masters such as Delacroix, Corot, Manet, and Renoir.
In 1920, he and his wife settled in Paris, becoming part of the group of Japanese artists who invested in the capital and its salons after World War I like Foujita, Micao Kono et Sei Koyanagui. There were almost 208 Japanese artists around Montmartre between 1920 and 1929. Tanaka distinguished himself with his independent art, detached from both pure Japanese art and French academicism. His compositions blended influences from French masters, Japanese exoticism, and a study of nature he learned in Seattle.
In Paris, Yasushi Tanaka participated in severals salons and exhibitions, such as the Salon d'Automne and the Salons des Artistes Indépendants. He was immediately acclaimed by critics "There is no genre where the virtuosity of his young talent has not already been demonstrated." He was particularly noted for his charming female nudes.
The painting titled "Nina" depicts a young woman posing in an interior. In this work, the artist shows his specialty, a female nude, for which he received critical acclaim. The painting demonstrates the artist's virtuosity in the art of foreshortening, as praised by his contemporaries.
This scene is characteristic of Yasushi Tanaka's work, featuring influences from Western art classics that he was familiar with, as well as an oriental atmosphere. The preference for the East is evident in the screen and the richness of the highly decorative fabrics and drapes.
The scene is tightly framed, with the background closed by the screen giving the scene an intimate and personal character. Nina watches directly the viewer, creating a privileged connection with him.
This artwork probably dates back 1920-1930, dates when Yasushi Tanaka painted severals nudes, it was probably displayed in a salon or exhibition.
The painting shows some craquelure but is in overall good condition. It is an oil on original canvas, signed at the bottom left, and titled on the back;
Dimensions : 97 x 130 cm / 38 x 51.19 inches
Bibliography: L'art et les artistes, Revue d'art de France et de l'étranger, 1921, November, (issue 21), The Tanaka Exhibition at the Salon d'Automne
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