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Was Van Gogh influenced by Japanese artists?
Absolutely, Japanese art was a big inspiration to Van Gogh!
From his letter to his sister in 1888:
"You may understand the change in painting when you think for instance of the colorful Japanese pictures one sees everywhere. Theo and I possess hundreds of these Japanese prints."
To Theo in July 1888:
"All my work is based to some extent on Japanese art..."
And also to his brother, in September 1888:
"And we wouldn’t be able to study Japanese art, it seems to me, without becoming much happier and more cheerful, and it makes us return to nature, despite our education and our work in a world of convention."
and:
"If we study Japanese art, then we see a man, undoubtedly wise and a philosopher and intelligent, who spends his time — on what? — studying the distance from the earth to the moon? — no; studying Bismarck's politics? — no, he studies a single blade of grass."
and:
"Isn’t it almost a new religion that these Japanese teach us, who are so simple and live in nature as if they themselves were flowers? And we wouldn’t be able to study Japanese art, it seems to me, without becoming much happier and more cheerful, and it makes us return to nature, despite our education and our work in a world of convention."
and:
"I envy the Japanese the extreme clarity that everything in their work has. It’s never dull, and never appears to be done too hastily. Their work is as simple as breathing, and they do a figure with a few confident strokes with the same ease as if it was as simple as buttoning your waistcoat."
Find out in your FREE Van Gogh e-book.
Hundreds of questions answered by Van Gogh himself!
From his letter to his sister in 1888:
"You may understand the change in painting when you think for instance of the colorful Japanese pictures one sees everywhere. Theo and I possess hundreds of these Japanese prints."
To Theo in July 1888:
"All my work is based to some extent on Japanese art..."
And also to his brother, in September 1888:
"And we wouldn’t be able to study Japanese art, it seems to me, without becoming much happier and more cheerful, and it makes us return to nature, despite our education and our work in a world of convention."
and:
"If we study Japanese art, then we see a man, undoubtedly wise and a philosopher and intelligent, who spends his time — on what? — studying the distance from the earth to the moon? — no; studying Bismarck's politics? — no, he studies a single blade of grass."
and:
"Isn’t it almost a new religion that these Japanese teach us, who are so simple and live in nature as if they themselves were flowers? And we wouldn’t be able to study Japanese art, it seems to me, without becoming much happier and more cheerful, and it makes us return to nature, despite our education and our work in a world of convention."
and:
"I envy the Japanese the extreme clarity that everything in their work has. It’s never dull, and never appears to be done too hastily. Their work is as simple as breathing, and they do a figure with a few confident strokes with the same ease as if it was as simple as buttoning your waistcoat."
Order a Van Gogh replica, inspired by Japanese art.
Would you like to see Japan through the eyes of Van Gogh? Check out a collection of our repoductions that are heavily influenced by Japanese artists.Your Daily Dose of Van Gogh
What did Vincent van Gogh write on this day?Find out in your FREE Van Gogh e-book.
Hundreds of questions answered by Van Gogh himself!
Sudden Shower over Shin-ÅŒhashi bridge and Atake (1857) by Hiroshige
Bridge in the Rain, Van Gogh replica in oil on canvas
Comments (1)
The letters van Gogh wrote give us such great insight in his life. Very cool how you showed us his words: great post! Now I dò see how Japanese art influenced his paintings. And in my opinion, van Gogh did it better! ;-)