Floating Worlds: Western Representations and Appropriations of Japanese Art, 1850s-1900

As the world became more globally connected in the nineteenth century, ideas began to travel. Literature, music, fashion, and art around the world were all inspired by these cultures. Movements such as Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, which are largely seen as simply French art, actually had various outside influences. The Impressionist movement was influenced by cultures far outside of France, and even Europe. Although many have heard of the influences of Spanish painters such as Francisco Goya upon the Impressionist artists, far fewer have heard about the influence of the Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, which was a much stronger influence. This paper will examine the influence of these Japanese prints on the art of Manet, Monet, Cassatt, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec. These artists are not only some of the most well-known artists of the mid to late nineteenth century, but also were some of the artists who were most influenced by Japanese prints