Japonisme

Japonisme (ca. 1860 – 1900)

Japonisme refers to the European fascination with Japanese art and aesthetics in the second half of the 19th century. The term arose after Japan reopened to trade and cultural exchange around 1854. European artists were inspired by Japanese woodblock prints, ceramics, textiles, and objects imported to Paris and London.

Characteristics such as asymmetrical compositions, flat areas of color, decorative patterns, and attention to natural motifs were adopted in painting, printmaking, and applied arts. Japonisme influenced impressionist and post-impressionist artists such as Monet, Degas, and Van Gogh, and played an important role in the development of Art Nouveau.