After two centuries of seclusion – and with just one international port open – Japan threw its doors open in 1854, resulting in an influx of Japanese art and culture to Europe. At first, Japanese aesthetics began showing up in western art, but when artists like Degas and Van Gogh started to understand more about the underlying movements and principles, the infleunces started to become more profound.
This exhibition looks at "Japonisme" and how it helped form the foundations of western modern art. It's made up of works from the NGV collection covering paintings, works on paper and the decorative arts. European works are presented with the Japanese works that inspired them.
Alongside artworks like Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s 'Divan Japonais' poster, the NGV has assembled a full British domestic interior demonstrating the Japanese influence on design and furniture.
Japonisme: Japan and the Birth of Modern Art is free and open at the NGV for the run of the winter blockbuster, MoMA at NGV: 130 Years of Modern and Contemporary Art.