Japonisme

Vincent Van Gogh, La Courtisane - 1887

The fascination Europeans have with Eastern Arts & Crafts dates back as far as the sixteenth century. When speaking in terms of Japanese art interest mainly started in 1854 when japan was forced to open it’s doors to the rest of the world, this was all due to a treaty which was signed between the United States and several European countries. By this time the Japanese hadn't yet started to see the difference between arts and crafts and the line between the two was blurred. This would soon all change as the Japanese began to display their best artists and craftsmen’s work in international exhibitions using them as a diving board into the west this was due to the fact that japan had nearly no heavy industry. They quickly caught on to imagination of the west.

Certain prominent figures began to push Japanese art especially in France. One of these ambassadors was Samuel Bing. Bing opened a business in Paris which consisted of a shop containing only Japanese objects, many famous artist would frequent the shop such as Vincent Van Gogh and Toulouse Loutrec. Le Japon Artistique was a catalogue published by bing

In the 1860’s 70’s and 80’s, The situation turned into a trading of styles as Japanese artists began to emulate styles from the west  such as realism their western counterparts began to create a style called japonisme. They took direct inspiration from japanese prints, porcelain, textiles and also from architecture.

The western artists interpreted the style in different ways, some would just add japanese motifs in their work while for others it had a more profound meaning . It meant a new found freedom in art it allowed use of bold flattened colours, views without perspective and thick outlines. 

Mary Cassat - Woman Bathing

Mary Cassat attended the exposition Universelle in paris and witnessed the  beauty of japanese prints first hand. This is what inspired her to experiment with wood blocks.

James Mc Neill Whistler, The princess from the land of porcelain

In this painting by James Mc Neill Whistler we see a western woman depicted in a Japanese kimono and also a Japanese screen in the background. The influence is anything but subtle.

Referencing:

East Meets West -- Japonisme and Impressionism | The Art Institute of Chicago. 2015. East Meets West -- Japonisme and Impressionism | The Art Institute of Chicago. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/my/east-meets-west-japonisme-and-impressionism/13453. [Accessed 29 January 2015].

japonisme. 2015. japonisme. [ONLINE] Available at: http://lotusgreenfotos.blogspot.com. [Accessed 29 January 2015].