Foujita Chapel, Religious chapel in Reims, France
Foujita Chapel is a religious building in Reims constructed in Romanesque Revival style, featuring frescoes painted on wet cement, stained glass windows, sculptural elements, and ironwork throughout. The interior combines Christian imagery with Japanese artistic influences in a cohesive design scheme.
Construction began in 1965 under architect Maurice Clauzier and the building was consecrated in October 1966 following Tsuguharu Foujita's conversion to Catholicism. This chapel grew from the artist's personal religious transformation during his later years.
The interior decoration blends Christian subjects with Japanese artistic elements, reflecting Foujita's background as a Franco-Japanese painter connected to the Paris School. Visitors can see this cultural meeting in the frescoes and stained glass, where Eastern and Western traditions come together in the composition.
The building is typically open to visitors from May through September and sits in a quiet residential area on rue du Champ de Mars. Allow time to observe the details of the wall paintings and windows up close.
Foujita painted himself into the wall scenes depicting Christ's Passion, appearing among the crowd at the foot of the cross alongside his patron René Lalou. This personal insertion of the artist into biblical narratives is an unusual feature of the decoration.
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