14. 14AR LÉONARD TSUGUHARU FOUJITA (1886-1968) Young girl with two birds signed and dated 'Foujita 1956' (lower right) oil on canvas Painted in 1956 24 x 19 cm. The authenticity of this work has been confirmed by Sylvie Buisson. This work will be included in Vol. IV of the Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of Léonard Foujita by Sylvie and Casimir Buisson. Provenance Galerie Petridès. Sale, Primardeco SARL, Toulouse, 25 September 2019, lot 36. Private collection, France (acquired from it). Private collection, France (by descent). Jeune fille aux deux oiseaux is an emblematic and extremely poetic work by Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita, created around 1956. This delicate portrait of a young girl delicately holding parakeets embodies the very essence of the artist: a subtle fusion between Japanese tradition and Western aesthetics, particularly those of the Italian Renaissance. In this oil on canvas, the little girl is depicted with great gentleness, her large, clear eyes gazing at the viewer with a quiet, deep intensity. She is holding two brightly coloured parakeets, symbols of lightness and freedom. The background, often a pale blue or clear sky, accentuates the impression of serenity and timelessness. Foujita, known for his mastery of fine, precise line, used a restricted palette here, favouring soft, luminous tones. The artist, influenced by the great Western masters such as Leonardo da Vinci, Manet and Renoir, succeeds in creating an atmosphere that is both Japanese and European, where the innocence of childhood meets classical grace. This masterpiece also reflects a period of renewal for Foujita. Indeed, 1956 marked a period of profound inner transformation for the artist. After decades of worldly success and cosmopolitan life, Foujita began a return to the essential, to gentleness and spirituality. Settling permanently in France after becoming a naturalised citizen in 1955, he moved away from the sensual themes of his youth towards representations imbued with innocence and serenity, often centred on childhood and nature. This change heralded his conversion to Catholicism in 1959, which marked the culmination of this personal and spiritual quest. Young Girl with Two Birds, painted in this context, perfectly illustrates this new outlook: tender, luminous and soothing, inviting the viewer to contemplate. A suspended moment where art and nature meet in perfect harmony, thanks to the artist's undisputed virtuosity.