The New Au Café 1949 by Léonard Foujita Tsuguharu_EN

It was two nights ago that I just finished reading one book I brought from NYC. It is written in Japanese by a Japanese painter Mr. Sasaki.
Now I am reading a book about philosophy. This past Monday, was rainy day fog and mist filled the air and that reflected the light of street signals. I was at small gallery exhibition of Léonard  Foujita Tsuguharu at 4th floor of Isetan in Fuchu City.



Before visiting the show, I was wondering what kind of edition of the Café piece (Au café - at the cafe 1949) is in this collection.
It was the lithograph print, edition of 300, newly printed last year in 2016 from his painting marked Louvre Museum. So it is half original, but nothing to do with his still-living days. Originally I came for seeing his works perceptions and techniques closely, but the recently made his lithograph piece got me to look into more business part of art of artist who is passed away.
In the collection, there are mixture of his original drawings, prints of various methods, and lithograph prints that marked as recently made.

Being an art collector, of one artist or multiple artists, is an interesting role as I imagine more deeply how it is like, the motivation, the joy, the investment, and the choices. The technology is improving without a moment of rest, and there are super realistic 3d printed sunflowers painting reproductions by Vincent Van Gogh on auction.
Also printmaking (original limited edition prints) are reprint-able by someone else if the original plates are reminded after the ending of the artist's life. That I imagine is happening behind those newly made lithographs.

I would buy the true original piece of art that the artist made when he or she was alive, even if it is a tiny tiny work.

While I was at the gallery, a couple who was there since before I arrived purchased one of the exhibition collections in front of me.『お料理』(O-ryo-u-ri) or 『小さな料理人たち』(Chi-i-sa-na Yyo-u-ri-ni-n Ta-chi) which I am not exactly sure the listed title and the details as soon after the collected left the gallery, the galleries took off the title label. If it was lithograph, it must have been around ($3,000.00 ~ )$12,000.00, for the price. If I m correct it is this is lithograph made in 1952, 67 x 52.5cm. Also they have listed Japanese title but I think this piece must have a title in French originally, maybe not.

Unique part of art gallery in corner of rather high-end department stores exhibitions are that only people who are really interested in the artist or the collectors will visit. There is usually no big advertisement on those kind of exhibitions and often on view only very short period of time.
It will make visitors uncomfortable if they have no intention of purchase to stay there online usual museum or gallery exhibitions.
Because of the condition this kind of shows are my favorite to visit, it is straight forward, artworks of specific artist of usually specific theme or time period. It is easy to see the works closely, and usually the staffs are less intense and less strict.
What we see or what happen in major art fairs in US and other countries does not often happen in Japan. Japan is still behind on growing art collectors, although this is my personal analyze with my tiny knowledge.
Art gallery in department stores in Tokyo let me see people buying artwork like buying a custom hand made furniture for home.
As I hear from the department store gallery staffs conversations behind the counter desk, many times they send invitations to art collectors in advance as we do in gallery in US. The purchase inquires comes outside gallery space often at the time of preview. There are still chances to see people actually come to own someone's original artwork if you visit art galleries in such department stores more frequently than any other art dedicated spaces in Tokyo. Just like I happened to encounter.

That was the only visitor I have witnessed during my 20~30 minutes stay but even the lithograph of his work in this collection is $3,000.00 and up, original sketch or dessin is offered at over $10,000.00 for the lowest.

Since there was only me after the couple left, there were plenty of time to look at each pieces, enjoyed so much. The details and roughness in the works, and unique color palette that he uses for his painting..., everything is still there in his original work and how romantic that is, don't you think so?