Micao Kono (1876-1954)

Portrait of the woman with the cat,

Circa 1934,

Oil on canvas,

Dated and signed on the back.

Biography :
Miçao Kono is a Japanese artist who came to work in Paris in the early 20s. He painted in oil and watercolor and also made a number of engravings.
Kono was particularly known for his nude paintings, often with harlequins. His paintings were very popular in the Art Deco interiors of the time. They were romantic and sensual; his work is similar to the great Franco-Japanese artist Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita.
Kono's technique was unusual because she used a thick white on which she painted her subject in pastel colors.