Nude 

Tsuguharu Foujita created this painting with oil paint on canvas. But what I find interesting is the way he handles the nude figure, which is quite traditional, against a background that's much more experimental. Look closely, and you'll see the ground has a textured quality, created through a labor-intensive process. The artist has seemingly built up the surface of the canvas with layers of paint. There's an almost decorative quality here, reminding me of the detailed work you might see in a craft object. It's a world away from the smooth, idealized forms of classical nudes. Foujita, who moved between Japan and France, brings a blend of traditions to his work. Here, he seems to blur the lines between fine art and craft. In doing so, he asks us to appreciate not just the image, but the very act of making. He wants us to focus on the materials, the process, and the culture it comes from.