How Japanese Artists Contributed to the Golden Age of Modernism
In the 1920s, Paris was the undisputed capital of the art world, drawing over 200 Japanese painters, writers and intellectuals into its bustling bohemian scene. Though World War II forced most to return home, many returned in the postwar years to re-immerse themselves in the city’s creative recovery. The exhibition traces this profound cross-cultural dialogue through a collection-focused survey named after Amis de Paris, the journal published by a Paris-alumni social club formed in 1930.
Drawing from both the museum’s permanent collection and select loans, the exhibition looks at how these artists developed distinct personal aesthetics while making their mark in Paris. On display are works by artists such as Tsuguharu Fujita, Yuzu Saeki and Taro Okamoto, alongside contemporaries such as Misao Kono and Riu Okanoue. The show also highlights the vital role of Japanese women painters who navigated the European art scene — a journey that carried significant social and artistic hurdles at the time — featuring newly acquired works by Haruko Hasegawa and Mami Mori.
You can read more about how Asian artists shaped Paris’ golden age of modernism here.
