Japonisme

Japanese Influence in Western Works

Japonisme is a French word describing art and material that has been influenced by Japan. This came from the aesthetic movement in Japan that saw artists like Hokusai and Hiroshige creating beautiful wood prints and illustrations but despite their incredible design, within Japan they had nearly no value. So little value that when the French began buying pots and decorations from Japan, they were delivered wrapped in these prints to protect the valuables inside. Eventually artists began to admire this artwork and experimented with this more free and meaningless way of producing art. 

Vincent Van Gogh

"Courtesan (after Eisen)" 1887.
During the Japonisme movement, Van Gogh was experimenting with the ways he made his work and the purpose of his work. Upon seeing a print by Eisen, Van Gogh was enthralled by the piece. He took very strong influence from the original in order to better understand the concept of the work. He stuck to his traditional medium to create his piece but he copied the flowing form and intricate details in the original. He exaggerated the colour scheme and kept it more towards what he

was used to. 
Here is the piece that inspired Van Gogh and comparing them, you can see clearly how he interpreted the piece but also where he kept true to his own style. 

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Helen Hyde

Above is an illustration by American artist Helen Hyde titled "Hagoita in the New Year's Day" (1914). 
In 1890 Hyde moved from New York to Paris in search for some new approaches to art as she was initially inspired by the European art of the time. After experiencing the wave of Japonisme in Paris she began to create wood prints and etchings of her own. She then moved back to San Fransisco and started her career creating Japanese artworks such as the one above. Eventually she moved to Japan to be amongst the art that she as so inspired by and she continued to create these kinds of works for the rest of her career. 

Hyde's work is hugely inspired by Hiroshige and you can see that just from a glance. She has taken the colour palette well into consideration and kept it consistent with the Japanese influences. Another big point is that the art doesn't serve a huge purpose. Western artwork at the time showed realism and often had a deep and vastly overthought message. Japanese artworks just showed normal life and normal things which is something Western artists were craving. 

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Sans Japan 

Arthur Huges "Kissed by an Angel"                   Ford Maddox Brown "The pretty Baa-Lambs"

Before Japonisme was the pre-Raphelites, beautiful paintings depicting striking realism and gorgeous scenery. These art works served to show grace and beauty and they were immaculate. Theres no colours where they shouldn't be, theres no harsh lines and theres no creative endeavours. Despite how close to life they look, they're incredibly boring.

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Lecture Notes