NEWS

Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita　Normandie　Executed in 1960　Lithograph poster

The French National Railways commissioned renowned artists over many years to create posters depicting iconic destinations throughout France, with the aim of encouraging both French residents and international visitors to travel by train.

This poster was created a few years after Tsuguharu Foujita obtained French citizenship. Already internationally recognized, he was selected as an artist embodying French culture, entrusted with the role of poetically portraying idealized regional landscapes.

The destination presented here is Normandy, located approximately two hours from Paris. Thanks to its easy accessibility by rail, the region became a popular weekend getaway for Parisians.

The thatched-roof houses characteristic of Normandy, sunlit spring meadows, and the serene sky are rendered through Foujita's distinctive delicate linework and light, refined sense of color.

A fallen tree depicted across the river introduces a subtle contrast within the composition, suggesting the cycle of nature alongside the vitality of spring.

Foujita's poster is not merely an advertisement; it is a refined example of mid-twentieth-century graphic art, symbolizing a period when tourism advertising and fine art were harmoniously intertwined.