Vincent van Gogh and Japanese Block Prints

For all artists, there is a source of inspiration. Vincent van Gogh--during his stay in Paris in 1886--has amassed a large collection of Japanese woodblock prints called ukiyo-e. These prints were quite affordable. He was quite inspired by the composition and flat colors of the prints. Ukiyo-e prints focuses on fleeting moments of beauty, such as the seasons and flowering trees. Other motifs of these woodblock prints are historical events, kabuki, courtesans and geshia. Famous Japanese artists Utagawa Hiroshige and Katsushika Houkisai made most notable impressions on van Gogh's works. What may have spurred his interest in Japanese woodblock prints is the May 1886 edition of Paris Illustré, with articles written by Tadamasa Hayashi.

The Courtesan (after Eisen) by Vincent van Gogh, 1887 (Left)
Title page of Paris Illustré "Le Japon' vol. 4, May 1886, no. 45-46 (Right)

The Plum Orchard In Kameido, by Hiroshige (Left)
Japonaiserie: Flowering Plum Tree (after Hiroshige), by Vincent van Gogh, 1887  (Right)

Hiroshige's composition focuses on landscapes. What sets it apart from the rest of the prints was that he uses interesting vantage points and western style of perspective, which also influenced Monet's works. The most notable difference between the two are color and the border around the print. Vincent van Gogh uses a more bolder, earth-tone color palate compared to the original. The brush strokes are also clearly visible when van Gogh was replicating the gradient effect of the print. The characters on the border only serve as a decorative purpose. The clarity is also different. The figures in van Gogh's piece are yellow, which blend into the background. 

Evening Shower at Atake and the Great Bridge, by Hiroshige (Left)
aponaiserie: Bridge in the Rain (after Hiroshige), by Vincent van Gogh, 1887 (Right)

Achieving straight parallel lines in woodblock prints, as you may imagine, is quite a feat. Vincent van Gogh, again, changes up the color palate dramatically. The bridge is now a bright yellow, the water is an olive green, and the landmass is clearly defined in van Gogh's work compared to the silhouette in Hiroshige's. Even though the title of the print says that it's raining, van Gogh added a bright blue sky, making it seem like it's clear and sunny. He also added definition and texture to the support structure of the bridge, giving it more depth.

If you want to see the process of making a woodblock print (with color!), here's good video on how they do it. It's about 9 minutes long but worth a watch.

--Joann Chan