山下新太郎　YAMASHITA Shintarō

Shintaro Yamashita traveled to France from 1905 to 1910 and again in 1931 (Showa 6), returning to Japan the following year, 1932 (Showa 7). This work, signed "France, Paris Landscape, 1932, Early Spring" on thick drawing paper likely purchased in France, was created during his second trip to Europe. The season is early spring, and the figures in thick coats and the bare trees lining the streets suggest a Parisian scene still chilly. Yamashita was known to have admired Renoir and sought his advice; this influence can be subtly seen in the soft brushstrokes and the depiction of the distant mist. The red coats of the figures and the vibrant colors of the building entrances provide effective accents to the otherwise cold atmosphere of the painting.