SESSION 2: REACTIONS TO VICTORIAN INDUSTRIALISATION

7/10/2020

HOW JAPANESE ART INFLUENCED THE NINETEENTH & TWENTIETH CENTURY ARTISTS

Blog task 2:

Take two differing pieces of art or design from the late nineteenth or early twentieth century and explain how the Art of Japan influenced their form, function or manufacture.
Contrast this with examples that show no influence from Japan.

Claude Monet’s ‘Water Lilies’ series has been heavily influenced by Japanese art; this can be seen with ukiyo-e as it is referenced within how Monet is deeply invested in nature (which has also played a huge role in Japanese culture) as he would plant his water lilies before he would paint, this is due to how he would rather paint his own creations. He knew how to fuse Japanese motifs within his own palette which would later develop into his own style. The reason Monet works this way is for others to enjoy the scenery he creates, which he has succeeded in as the Chichu Art Museum has put up a garden that consists of his artwork to create a more surreal essence to his artwork.

Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ has been influenced by Japanese woodcuts; you can see this in the form of the way the night sky flows as it has also been inspired by The Great Wave off Kanagawa. Gogh has admired the way these Japanese woodcuts all the way down to their bold designs and the intense colours they give. The reason for his work is due to his attacks when he was in the asylum and not being able to control himself, from last weeks lesson I learnt that colours have different meanings, in this case he uses a lot of blues which he uses to expresses his emotions and how isolated he felt and to show that through the window in which he had been left in.

J M W Turner’s ‘Snowstorm, Steamboat off a Harbour’s Mouth’ seems much more complex within the brush strokes compared to how flat the strokes are within Japanese art that gives them a manga style, Turner’s brush strokes show the opposite. Turner’s style feels a bit more intense within the colours he uses such as greys where he really shows off a storm-like effect creating the mood a bit darker.
Turner’s ‘Peace, Burial at Sea’ also shows the same mood within the darker colours as there is a lot of smudged blacks- this really stands out as Japanese art the colours are all solid and neat. The style of the painting shows sorrow and loss of people which you wouldn’t see as bold within Japanese prints. The overall images of these two paintings have a completely different influence from Monet & Gogh as the paintings show no influence from Japanese prints.