“Femme au chat”, oil on board, Miçao Kono (1900-1979), 1934

“Femme au chat”
Oil on board, 1934
Signed and dated lower left “Miçao Kono XXXIV” and countersigned on the reverse with the artist’s address.
Exceptional Art Deco frame in straw marquetry with geometric decoration.
H. 55 cm · W. 45.5 cm

Provenance: Château de Champremault, Loire Valley

Description: This work, painted in 1934 by Miçao Kono, depicts a woman with a cat, a theme often used to symbolise intimacy and feminine gentleness. The subtlety of the colours and the finesse of the line recall the meeting between traditional Japanese aesthetics and the Western modernity of Art Deco. Its exceptional straw marquetry frame adds a unique touch of refinement, enhancing the precious character of the work.

Biographical notes
A Japanese painter who settled in Paris in the early 1920s, Miçao Kono (1900-1979) became known for his female nudes, portraits and flower pieces, whose pastel palette suited Art Deco interiors. He exhibited at the Salon d’Automne in 1927 and at the Galerie Georges Bernheim in 1929. The Meguro Museum of Art in Tokyo held a retrospective of his work in 1997-1998.