Japanese Inspiration
Once Japanese art started to make its way over to the west in the mid 1800’s many artists were inspired by an art style they’d never seen before. Aubrey Beardsley first saw Japanese artwork in Paris in 1892 and influenced his work from then on. You can see the inspiration from Japanese woodcut prints in Aubrey Beardsley’s work; The Peacock Skirt and The Climax, both done in 1893. Both pieces are monochrome illustrations as well as using the rounded, flowing details on the background and clothing, similar to the prints and manga done in Japan. His work was specifically inspired by a subgroup of Japanese art called shunga, a type of erotic print.
Similarly, Gustave Klimt’s Lady with Fan, completed in 1917, contains many of the typical elements western artists took inspiration from. The flowing clothes and bird and peacock motifs show up commonly in both Japanese art and the work inspired by it. Klimt was a part of the Vienna Secession, a group of Austrian artists founded in 1897 and out of all in the group; he was the most influenced by Japanese art.
In comparison, an artist like Wassily Kandinsky got no inspiration from the new influx of Japanese art. His work was more abstract, full of colour and shapes, and was clearly more inspired by his life in Russia.
Similarly, Gustave Klimt’s Lady with Fan, completed in 1917, contains many of the typical elements western artists took inspiration from. The flowing clothes and bird and peacock motifs show up commonly in both Japanese art and the work inspired by it. Klimt was a part of the Vienna Secession, a group of Austrian artists founded in 1897 and out of all in the group; he was the most influenced by Japanese art.
In comparison, an artist like Wassily Kandinsky got no inspiration from the new influx of Japanese art. His work was more abstract, full of colour and shapes, and was clearly more inspired by his life in Russia.
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