Foujita Tsuguharu (Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita) (Japanese-French, 1886-1968) was born in Tokyo, Japan. Following the advice of Mori Ōgai, who was the superior of Foujita’s father’s at work, Foujita enrolled in the Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts) for his education. Later, he left for France in 1913 to continue his studies. He was a member of the School of Paris and is known for his portraits, nudes, and paintings of cats. Fujita applied traditional Japanese ink and wash techniques to Western paintings, presenting a rich show of expression. 

In Reclining Nude with Toile de Jouy (“Nu allongé à la toile de Jouy”) (1949), the simplicity of the contours and colors renders the nude immediately lifelike. The fabric of "Toile de Jouy" takes its name from a celebrated textile factory at Jouy-en-Josas (a village near Versailles). The linen fabric is decorated with designs of landscapes and figures, standing in stark contrast with the sitter’s alabaster skin and the black background behind.