Table of Contents
- [Chapter 1] A Dialogue Between You and Me: Why Do You Need Claude Monet’s La Japonaise Right Now?
- [Chapter 2] The Truth of the Artwork: The History and Historical Data of La Japonaise
- [Chapter 3] Monet’s Struggles and Rivals: An Artist Who Raced Through a Turbulent Era
- [Chapter 4] Powerful Benefits and Salvation That Art Gives You
- [Chapter 5] How to Find the “Meaning” of Life: The Teachings of Frankl and Henry Ford
- [Chapter 6] A Life Devoted to Passion: The Teachings of Tokuji Munesugu and Mimi Takamizawa’s Pledge
- [Chapter 7] A Message to You: A New Tomorrow Walking Hand in Hand with Art
[Chapter 1] A Dialogue Between You and Me: Why Do You Need Claude Monet’s La Japonaise Right Now?
[Notice] A Miraculous Viewing Method That Instantly Releases Your Tired Heart
Hey, won’t you stop for a moment and listen to what I have to say?
You are truly working hard every single day. From the time you wake up in the morning until you go to sleep at night, you dedicate your time whole-heartedly for someone else or for society, don’t you?
But have you ever thought like this?
“Isn’t art just something for people who have extra time and money to enjoy?”
“It’s too difficult, and I don’t really understand it.”
I completely understand why you might feel that way. But I want you to discard that misconception as soon as possible.
Why? Because true art exists to soothe your daily suffering and deeply heal your spirit.
If you were to stand in front of a painting at a gallery or museum and feel nothing, or feel bored and want to look away immediately… that is not your fault. A work of art that fails to convince you is, frankly speaking, a poor work of art.
A true masterpiece that remains in history will instantly captivate anyone’s heart, regardless of whether they have prior knowledge or not.
When you looked at the photo or actual painting of La Japonaise, didn’t you feel a surge of unexpected excitement and stirring emotion in your chest?
“A blonde woman, wearing a gorgeous Japanese kimono, turning around…”
Its vivid colors, the three-dimensional presence of the samurai depicted on the kimono, and the fans scattered all over the wall. The overwhelming amount of visual information stimulates your brain and makes you forget your daily worries and stress.
Yes, this is precisely the “instant rest” that La Japonaise provides to you.
[Chapter 2] The Truth of the Artwork: The History and Historical Data of La Japonaise
[Notice] The Secret Behind the Overwhelming Presence Born in Paris in 1876
Here, I would like to share the accurate data and origins of this work with you.
- Title: La Japonaise (French: La Japonaise)
- Artist: Claude Monet
- Year of Creation: 1876
- Medium: Oil on canvas
- Dimensions: 231.8 cm × 142.3 cm (A massive masterwork towering far above average human height)
- Location: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (Massachusetts, USA)
Paris in 1876, when this painting was created, was right in the middle of the massive “Japonisme (Japan mania)” boom.
Triggered by the 1867 Paris World’s Fair, Japanese ukiyo-e prints and crafts flooded into the West, captivating people’s hearts. Monet himself was a huge enthusiast of Japan, owning as many as 231 ukiyo-e prints by artists such as Utamaro Kitagawa, Hokusai Katsushika, and Hiroshige Utagawa.
Depicted in this artwork is a blonde woman dressed in a Japanese kimono.
Within the heavy and long garment, the woman twists her slender body, holding up a fan with a smile on her lips. The folding fan in her hand features red, white, and blue, reminiscent of the French flag.
According to expert research, the kimono she wears is estimated to be a Kabuki costume or a uchikake (over-kimono) of a oiran (courtesan) from the late Edo to early Meiji period. A maple tree and a samurai wielding a sword glaring out are expressed in surprisingly three-dimensional embroidery.
In fact, the model for this painting was Monet’s first wife, Camille Doncieux.
Monet made her wear a blonde wig and intentionally put on an artificial smile.
“Why did he do such a strange thing?”
You might wonder about that.
Rather than painting a simple portrait, Monet wanted to paint the very atmosphere of the era—the “exotic culture” and the “sophisticated attire of Parisiennes” that were feverishly loved in Paris at the time.
This artwork was exhibited at the “2nd Impressionist Exhibition” in April 1876 and attracted immense attention. At an auction held in the same month, it was sold for the high price of 2,010 francs.
Later, Monet himself humbly remarked, “It was just a piece of junk painted on a whim,” but that was simply because he later reached an entirely new realm of painting: the pursuit of light.
For Monet, who continuously faced the rigor of nature, the time spent painting this gorgeous La Japonaise was a moment of “rest for the heart.”
Don’t you agree that you, who are always fighting hard in society, also need “a moment of rest” through this painting?
Are you aware that you, who are always working hard, need rest?
Mimi Takamizawa’s art serves your life with utmost sincerity.
Because as the “protagonist” of your own story, you have the right to obtain a “valuable” life.
[Chapter 3] Monet’s Struggles and Rivals: An Artist Who Raced Through a Turbulent Era
[Notice] Survival Strategies Taught by Top-Tier Artists Who Overcame Hardships
“Wasn’t Monet a genius who succeeded right from the start?”
People often ask me that. But the answer is “No.”
Monet’s life was a series of setbacks and poverty.
In his youth, Monet was constantly criticized by traditional academic painters. His paintings wouldn’t sell, he couldn’t pay rent, and there were years when he didn’t even have money to buy bread.
Camille, his wife who served as his model, supported Monet behind the scenes through their impoverished life, but died of illness at the young age of 32, just three years after La Japonaise was unveiled.
Monet’s rivals—painters like Édouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas—were also fighting against fierce criticism from society.
They were called “Impressionists” and were mocked at the time as “fools who don’t even know how to paint.”
However, they did not give up.
Instead of listening to society’s evaluation, they continued to express the “new and beautiful world” they believed in.
When you hit a wall at work or in relationships and feel crushed thinking, “No one appreciates my hard work,” please remember Monet and his fellow artists.
The works they left behind are speaking to you:
“Even if it is tough right now, believe in your own worth and keep moving forward. Your efforts will surely bear fruit in the future.”
Great masterpieces that remain in history resonate with your heart across time precisely because the powerful souls of humans who overcame adversity reside within them.
[Chapter 4] Powerful Benefits and Salvation That Art Gives You
[Notice] An Intellectual Habit That Dramatically Evolves Your Daily Life
“Specifically, what benefits do I get in my daily life from appreciating art?”
You are a very practical and wise person. Let me answer that clearly.
Here are the benefits you gain by coming into contact with masterpieces:
- Overwhelming Stress Relief and Mental StabilityWhen you carefully observe the vivid reds and delicate embroidery of La Japonaise, your brainwaves enter a relaxed state. You will feel your everyday petty worries vanish, and your mind settle into peace.
- Dramatically Improved Intuition and ObservationDeveloping the habit of paying close attention to the details of paintings builds observation skills that allow you to quickly notice “subtle shifts” or “changes” in business and daily life.
- Establishment of Unshakeable Self-WorthBeing able to say “I like this part of this artwork” instead of “I like it because everyone else says it’s good.” That becomes the first step toward taking control of your own life without being swayed by others’ opinions.
Conversely, what happens if you continue living a life without touching art?
A daily routine chasing only efficiency and profit will unconsciously exhaust your heart and wither your emotions. A life without touching great music, literature, painting, sculpture, and film is like being deprived of emotional nourishment.
Do you want such a boring and dry life?
Definitely not. That is precisely why you should bring art close to your daily living right now.
[Chapter 5] How to Find the “Meaning” of Life: The Teachings of Frankl and Henry Ford
[Notice] The Only Way of Thinking to End Boring Everyday Life
I am deeply influenced by the Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl.
The truth presented in his masterpiece Man’s Search for Meaning—”Human beings can find ‘meaning’ in life under any harsh circumstances.”
Everyone is the protagonist of their own life story and has the right to create a meaningful narrative.
If you have a purpose in life, from the moment you wake up in the morning until you sleep at night, you will never be bored. You will run out of idle time.
And now, let me introduce the quote that has influenced me the most.
It is a famous quote by Henry Ford, the American who built a society where everyone could ride in automobiles:
“Most people think of success as getting something. But in truth, success is giving.”
This quote gives you a vital clue.
As long as you stay passive, thinking “I want to receive something” or “I want to be recognized,” your heart will not be fulfilled.
However, the moment you step onto the side of “giving” your abilities, smiles, and kindness to others, your life begins to shine.
Claude Monet, too, amid harsh circumstances, created the supreme gift of La Japonaise to bring joy to viewers, “giving” it to us in the modern era.
There is no life more valuable than delivering wonderful products, services, goods, and artworks to many people.
Being useful to others—that is the shortcut for you to attain true success and fulfillment.
[Chapter 6] A Life Devoted to Passion: The Teachings of Tokuji Munesugu and Mimi Takamizawa’s Pledge
[Notice] Unshakeable Mentality Practiced by Successful People
As an artist and as a human being, there are words that have deeply moved me and served as my daily guidelines.
They are the words of Tokuji Munesugu, the founder of Curry House CoCo Ichibanya:
“Do not look sideways; devote yourself to management.”
“Nothing goes well from the start, so keep doing it without giving up. Business is daily accumulation and gratitude. Work 5,640 hours a year (15 and a half hours a day, 365 days a year).”
“During my active years, I had no hobbies and made no friends. I never went to bars either. I did nothing that would get in the way of work. There were times I worked 5,640 hours a year. I felt that if I didn’t lead by example, my subordinates wouldn’t work for me.”
Mr. Munesugu’s overwhelming determination and effort.
As a painter, I always hold this spirit when facing the canvas. Uncompromising work accumulated to deliver art of perfected, reliable quality to you—that is my mission.
Top-tier work exists to pour passion without stinting and enrich the lives of those who receive it.
The same goes for the work and chores you do hard every day. Your unyielding effort surely serves as a salvation to someone. Please take greater pride in yourself.
[Chapter 7] A Message to You: A New Tomorrow Walking Hand in Hand with Art
[Notice] A Lifetime Lifestyle You Can Start Right Now
Thank you so much for reading to the end.
I am truly delighted to have had such a deep conversation with you.
Lastly, let me ask you once more.
Will you continue to spend your days chased by the opinions of others and daily busyness?
Or will you connect with the wonderful art of all times and places, and forcefully walk your own “valuable life”?
The answer, of course, is the latter.
Art is by no means difficult. The threshold is not high at all.
First, feast your eyes on the gorgeous world of La Japonaise, and feel the passion of color painted by Monet.
And take a look at the beauty around you.
Mimi Takamizawa will continue to support you with all her heart through art, serving you so that you can keep shining as the “protagonist” of your own story.
Because you have the right to be happy.
Now, let’s begin the journey together today to meet a new you!
