Van Gogh & Japan

Vincent van Gogh's (1853-1890) encounter with Japanese ukiyo-e prints during his time in Paris was decisive for the direction that his art would take in the years to come. He enthusiastically assembled a collection of the prints with the idea of dealing in them, and soon was captivated by their colorful and cheerful imagery and style which began to exert a dramatic influence on his own work. Gradually this enchanted world became his main artistic reference point. From now on, he was positioning himself as an artist in the Japanese tradition in order to gain a reputation with the avant-garde of the day. This gorgeous publication offers a detailed reassessment of the inspiration Japanese printmaking had on Van Gogh's creative output. Featuring essays by the world's leading Van Gogh experts, this book details the ways in which the artist constructed his understanding of a Japanese aesthetic and his utopian ideal of a so-called primitive society, and incorporated these into his own vision and practice. The size, nature, and importance of Van Gogh's own collection of Japanese prints will also be explored. Lavish illustrations include oil paintings and drawings by Van Gogh as well as a selection of the Japanese works that so captured his imagination.

Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, Sapporo (26/8/- 15/10/2017)
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Tokyo (24/10/2017 - 8/1/2018)
The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto (20/1/2018 -4/3/2018)
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (23/3/2018- 24/6/2018)

Nadat hij tijdens zijn verblijf in Antwerpen kennis had gemaakt met de Japanse ukiyo-e prenten, raakte Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) al snel in de ban van de Japanse kunst en cultuur. Toen Vincent en zijn broer, Theo, zich samen in Parijs vestigden, begonnen ze enthousiast Japanse prenten te verzamelen en zelfs te verhandelen. Hun beeldtaal en hun stijl oefenden echter ook een grote invloed uit op Vincents eigen werk. Deze prachtige publicatie werpt een nieuw licht op de inspiratie die Van Gogh uit de Japanse prentkunst putte.