Seeing with a Japanese eye

Van Gogh was looking for a modern, more decorative style of painting. The Japanese prints became his most important example. What exactly did he learn from the prints?

In Paris, Vincent van Gogh fell under the spell of Japanese woodcuts. With their bright colours, striking divisions of the picture plane and strong outlines, they were so different from what he was used to. Van Gogh studied the prints well. The Japanese woodcuts even became his most important example. They changed his art forever. Discover what he learned from the prints.