Japanese Influence on Western Impressionists: The Reciprocal Exchange of Artiistic Techniques

In 1853, Commodore Perry reopened Japanese ports to the rest of the world. Japanese products made their way into Western markets (Ives). Products like fans, kimonos, lacquers, and other products became popular. This created the movement of Japanism, which is characterized by the influence of Japanese culture. For artists, there was a focus on Japanese art. Western artists looked at the techniques, compositional methods, and subject matter common in woodblock prints. Woodblock prints, from the Edo period, became an influence for the Impressionist movement in Paris during the nineteenth century. Similarly, the Western influence on Japan affected art during the Edo period.