Arts & Culture
The Influence of Japanese Ukiyo-e on Van Gogh's Style
Quick fact
Van Gogh copied ukiyo-e prints directly, even painting a portrait of the Japanese artist Utagawa Hiroshige in 1887, complete with a border of Japanese characters he invented.
Why this is interesting
You've likely seen Van Gogh's swirling stars and sunflowers, but did you know that his bold, flat style was partly inspired by Japanese woodblock prints? How did a European artist come to paint like a samurai-era printmaker?