Bright colours
Lots of crépons must have been very brightly coloured, especially if you consider that Van Gogh’s prints have heavily faded over the years. The crépons were printed using modern Western inks that were imported in the Meiji period (1865-1905).
Vincent van Gogh was particularly drawn to these brightly-coloured prints. He pinned nearly all of his crépons to the walls of his studio, and details such as the kingfishers feature in his own work with striking regularity.
Two separate prints joined together
Van Gogh owned two crépons comprising two separate prints joined together to make a single, longer print – so-called surimonos. These long, brightly-coloured prints were extremely decorative, so it is hardly surprising that Van Gogh hung these works in a series of his studios.
Following his death in Auvers, one of the two prints came into the possession of Paul Gachet jr.
onbekend/unknown, Two Manzai Dancers and Kite Flying Women and Children at the New Year, 1875
Togaku, Kingfishers, from the series Illustrations of Plants, Trees, Flowers and Birds, 1875