Foujita chapel
Encyclopedia
The chapel of Our Lady Queen of Peace, or Foujita Chapel, was constructed in 1965-1966 at Reims
, France. The chapel was conceived and designed by the artist Tsuguharu Foujita
, and is famous for the frescos he painted in the interiors. The chapel was consecrated in 1966, and in 1992 was listed as an historic monument of France.
, France on Rue de la Mars. It is located in the gardens of the family residence of the Mumm
champagne house, the then home of René Lalou who was Foujita's godfather on his conversion to Roman Catholicism. The chapel and its grounds were donated to the City of Reims
on October 18, 1966.
ese born painter who came to Paris
in 1913, and is a known member of the School of Paris
. After experiencing mystical enlightenment at the Abbey of Saint-Remi
Basilica
in Reims
in 1959 he converted to Catholicism
and was baptised at the Notre-Dame de Reims in Reims
.
Foujita's godfather René Lalou, the then chairman of Mumm
champagne, decided, together with Foujita to build a Romanesque
chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Foujita drew up the plans for the chapel
, and the interior and exterior decoration, including stained glass windows, reliefs, ironwork, sculptures and the frescos.
In 1965 work began under the architect Maurice Clauzier and was finished in 1966. The stained glass windows were crafted by the glazer Charles Marq and the wrought iron work and sculptures by Maxime Chiquet and the Andre brothers.
Over a period of three months in early June and August 1966, and at the age of 80, Foujita painted the chapel walls with religious iconography in the form of large frescos in blues, greens, browns and yellows. Although the frescos are of Christian themes, one can also find depictions of Foujita and his wife, Kimiko, and also of his friend Rene Lalou and his wife.
The chapel was consecreted on the 1st October 1966 and dedicated to Our Lady, Queen of Peace. It was donated to the city of Reims
on October 18, 1966.
In 1992 the Foujita Chapel was listed as an historic monument.
In 2003, Foujita's coffin was reinterred at the Foujita chapel
under the flagstones in the position he originally intended when constructing the chapel. He had previously been buried near the location of his final home in the Cimetière de Villiers-Le-Bâcle
, Essonne département
, France
.
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, France. The chapel was conceived and designed by the artist Tsuguharu Foujita
Tsuguharu Foujita
was a painter and printmaker born in Tokyo, Japan who applied Japanese ink techniques to Western style paintings.- Education :In 1910 when he was twenty-four years old Foujita graduated from what is now the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music....
, and is famous for the frescos he painted in the interiors. The chapel was consecrated in 1966, and in 1992 was listed as an historic monument of France.
Location
The chapel is situated in ReimsReims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
, France on Rue de la Mars. It is located in the gardens of the family residence of the Mumm
Mumm
G. H. Mumm & Cie, situated in Reims in northern France, is one of the largest Champagne producers worldwide.- History :It was founded by three brothers, Jacobus, Gottlieb and Phillip Mumm, German winemakers from the Rhine valley and G. Heuser and Friedrich Giesler on March 1, 1827 as P. A. Mumm...
champagne house, the then home of René Lalou who was Foujita's godfather on his conversion to Roman Catholicism. The chapel and its grounds were donated to the City of Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
on October 18, 1966.
History
Foujita was a JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese born painter who came to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1913, and is a known member of the School of Paris
School of Paris
School of Paris refers to two distinct groups of artists — a group of medieval manuscript illuminators, and a group of non-French artists working in Paris before World War I...
. After experiencing mystical enlightenment at the Abbey of Saint-Remi
Abbey of Saint-Remi
The Abbey of Saint-Remi is an abbey in Reims, France, founded in the sixth century. Since 1099 it has conserved the relics of Saint Remi , the Bishop of Reims who converted Clovis, King of the Franks, to Christianity at Christmas in AD 496, after he defeated the Alamanni in the Battle of...
Basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
in Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
in 1959 he converted to Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
and was baptised at the Notre-Dame de Reims in Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
.
Foujita's godfather René Lalou, the then chairman of Mumm
Mumm
G. H. Mumm & Cie, situated in Reims in northern France, is one of the largest Champagne producers worldwide.- History :It was founded by three brothers, Jacobus, Gottlieb and Phillip Mumm, German winemakers from the Rhine valley and G. Heuser and Friedrich Giesler on March 1, 1827 as P. A. Mumm...
champagne, decided, together with Foujita to build a Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Foujita drew up the plans for the chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
, and the interior and exterior decoration, including stained glass windows, reliefs, ironwork, sculptures and the frescos.
In 1965 work began under the architect Maurice Clauzier and was finished in 1966. The stained glass windows were crafted by the glazer Charles Marq and the wrought iron work and sculptures by Maxime Chiquet and the Andre brothers.
Over a period of three months in early June and August 1966, and at the age of 80, Foujita painted the chapel walls with religious iconography in the form of large frescos in blues, greens, browns and yellows. Although the frescos are of Christian themes, one can also find depictions of Foujita and his wife, Kimiko, and also of his friend Rene Lalou and his wife.
The chapel was consecreted on the 1st October 1966 and dedicated to Our Lady, Queen of Peace. It was donated to the city of Reims
Reims
Reims , a city in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France, lies east-northeast of Paris. Founded by the Gauls, it became a major city during the period of the Roman Empire....
on October 18, 1966.
In 1992 the Foujita Chapel was listed as an historic monument.
Interrment of Foujita
"I built this chapel to atone for 80 years of sin" Leonard Tsuguharu FoujitaIn 2003, Foujita's coffin was reinterred at the Foujita chapel
Foujita chapel
The chapel of Our Lady Queen of Peace, or Foujita Chapel, was constructed in 1965-1966 at Reims, France. The chapel was conceived and designed by the artist Tsuguharu Foujita, and is famous for the frescos he painted in the interiors...
under the flagstones in the position he originally intended when constructing the chapel. He had previously been buried near the location of his final home in the Cimetière de Villiers-Le-Bâcle
Villiers-le-Bâcle
Villiers-le-Bâcle is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Villiers-le-Bâcle are known as Villebaclais.-References:** -External links:* * *...
, Essonne département
Essonne
Essonne is a French department in the region of Île-de-France. It is named after the Essonne River.It was formed on 1 January 1968 when Seine-et-Oise was split into smaller departments.- History :...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.