Portrait of a Japanese Woman (Mrs. Kuroki)

The model for this portrait was Takeko, the daughter of Matsukata Kojiro's eldest brother, Matsukata Iwao. She married Kuroki Sanji, the oldest son of Kuroki Tamemoto, a famous admiral in the Russo-Japanese War. Takeko and her husband Sanji lived in Paris for three years starting in 1919, and there they become friendly with both Monet and Aman-Jean. They were particularly interested in Monet and frequently visited the painter in his house at Giverny. It was the Kuroki's, who introduced Matsukata Kojiro to Monet. It is said that on that one visit, Matsukata purchased 16 works directly from Monet. There is a photograph taken by Sanji of Takeko, in full kimono, and Monet standing on the top of the bridge in the Japanese garden in Monet's famous home. For Monet, enamored of all things Japanese, this must have been a happy moment. Another sign of the Japonisme of the day can be seen in the fact that the Kuroki couple had Aman-Jean paint Mrs. Kuroki's portraits wearing full kimono, not their normal dress in their Parisian lifestyle.The Kuroki's brought dozens of art works back to Japan, but the collection is today completely scattered. However, because this portrait was not yet complete when the couple left Paris, Aman-Jean did not hand it to them directly, rather it became part of Matsukata Kojiro's collection. Or it may have been the case that Matsukata simply took the piece temporarily, shipping it to Japan along with his collection when the commissioned work was not completed prior to the Kuroki's' departure. Whichever scenario, for many years the portrait remained with the Matsukata collection in Paris, and it was first brought to Japan in 1959. (Source: Masterpieces of the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, 2009, cat. no. 102)