THE EASTERN WINDS IN ARLES: How Japanese Art Transformed Van Gogh's Vision

All my work is based to some extent on Japanese art…

Vincent to Theo from Arles, 15 July 1888

A significant and often overlooked influence on Van Gogh was the vibrant world of Japanese art, specifically ukiyo-e woodblock prints. These prints, depicting everything from serene landscapes to dramatic kabuki actors, captivated Van Gogh and fundamentally altered his artistic trajectory.

Van Gogh's Print Collection

Van Gogh was not merely a passive observer of Japanese art; he was an avid collector. He amassed a significant collection of ukiyo-e prints, which he studied intensely. He even organized an exhibition of these prints in a Parisian café, demonstrating his enthusiasm and desire to share his passion.

These prints were more than just decorative items; they were a source of profound inspiration. He was particularly drawn to the works of artists like Hiroshige, Hokusai, and Utamaro.

The Van Gogh Museum has an archive of these prints. The Japanese prints in the above carosel came largely from that collection, which you can see HERE.

VAN GOGH Sunflowers, Oil on canvas, 92.1 × 73 cm National Gallery, London, England

JAPANESE PRINT

After living in Paris for two years, Vincent moved to Arles on 20 February 1888. Upon arrival in Arles, Vincent took a room at the hotel-restaurant Carrel, and later, one at Café de la Gare. In early September, he settled into the Yellow House, which he had begun using as a studio on 1 May. In October Paul Guguin joined him, but only stayed for two months.

Van Gogh was hoping to establish as artist’s colony there.

The warm and bright southern light and its effect on colour was one of the lures that made him leave Paris in February 1888.

Van Gogh was not alone in his search for light that had stronger qualities than the cool light of the North. Claude Monet had worked in Bordighera on the Italian Riviera in 1884, and would settle in Antibes for a while in 1888. Paul Cézanne lived and worked in his hometown of Aix-en-Provence. Adolphe Monticelli, who was greatly admired by Van Gogh, had lived in Marseille, while Paul Gauguin travelled to Martinique in 1887 to work in the light of the Tropics. Van Gogh would probably also have heard about the qualities of the light in the South of France from Paul Signac, who painted there, and from Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who was from Albi. [https://www.fondation-vincentvangogh-arles.org/en/vincent]

“This part of the world seems to me as beautiful as Japan for the clearness of the atmosphere and the gay color effects.”

VAN GOGH AS BUDDHIST MONK

VAN GOGH, "Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin", Harvard Art Museum

In this extraordinary self-portrait, Van Gogh depicts himself as a shaved-pated Buddhist monk with slight epicanthic folds to his eyes. As he describes it to his brother Theo in a letter:

“I have written to Gauguin in reply to his letter that if I might be allowed to stress my own personality in a portrait, I had done so in trying to convey in my portrait not only myself but an impressionist in general, had conceived it as the portrait of a bonze [French word from Portuguese and Japanese, meaning a Buddhist monk]. a simple worshiper of the eternal Buddha.. . .

. . .It is all ashen gray against pale veronese (no yellow). The clothes are this brown coat with a blue border, but I have exaggerated the brown into purple, and the width of the blue borders.

The head is modeled in light colours painted in a thick impasto against the light background with hardly any shadows. Only I have made the eyes slightly slanting like the Japanese.”

VAN GOGH

Japanese prints were renowned for their bold, vibrant colors, often applied in flat, unmodulated areas. Van Gogh embraced this approach, moving away from the more subdued tones of traditional European painting. Unlike the illusionistic depth of Western painting, ukiyo-e prints often employed flattened perspectives and a lack of traditional shading. This simplified approach resonated with Van Gogh, who sought to capture the essence of his subjects rather than their realistic representation. The bold, black outlines characteristic of woodblock prints also influenced Van Gogh's style. He began to emphasize outlines in his own work, creating a sense of clarity and definition.

Japanese prints often depicted scenes from everyday life, landscapes, and nature. Van Gogh found inspiration in these subjects, focusing on the beauty of the ordinary. He also adopted the Japanese appreciation for nature, incorporating elements like blossoming trees and serene landscapes into his work. Van Gogh was fascinated by the asymmetrical compositions and cropped perspectives found in ukiyo-e prints. He experimented with these techniques, creating dynamic and unconventional compositions.

Beyond that, Van Gogh, like Monet, was inspired by the series of paintings of Hokusai and Hiroshige, repeatedly depicting the same subject.

FROM HIROSHIGE’S 36 VIEWS OF MT. FUJI

HOKUSAI. MT FUJI

The arrival of Japanese art in Europe was a watershed moment for Van Gogh. It provided him with a new visual language, a fresh perspective, and a profound source of inspiration. By embracing the principles of ukiyo-e prints, Van Gogh transformed his art, creating a unique and enduring legacy that continues to captivate audiences today.