Japanese influence

Japonaiserie: Flowering Plum Tree

(After Hiroshige)

Paris September-October 1887

Oil on canvas 55x46cm

Amsterdam, Van Gogh Museum

(Vincent van Gogh Foundation)

       The first impression of this painting is that of a Japanese woodcut print. The sides both right and left are framed in orange with Japanese calligraphy marching vertically up the sides. There is a suggestion of bamboo framing the central image. The bamboo is formed into a Wabi Sabi Zen teahouse s unexpected and nonsymmetrical triangle at the top right.  There are thee chops or seal like elements placed on the print denoting in Japan the provenance (former owners) one chop is cadmium red, two chops that slightly over lap at the top are ocher and cadmium red light they all have calligraphy on them.

     The most compelling element is a plum tree in the extreme foreground. The tree is framing again every other element and pushing the perspective of the park lit up with plum blossoms on numerous trees on a deep Hooker’s green ground. The deep color of the blooming plum closest to the viewer, along with the suggestions of the gnarly bark give an intimate feel. It is as though one were sitting in the tree itself, like a child looking across the grove. The grove is cut by a fence which cuts the deep green from the paler green on this far side are  nine human figures and a thatched house on the far right. Over the figures is a thick cloud of plum blossoms in pale yellow and white. The texture of the blooming trees is very like the sakura events in modern Japan, very glorious. The sky above the trees and making a strong horizontal stripe is cadmium red light to cadmium deep at the top. The green shading to pale green to yellow to orange to red is sliced by the strong gnarly vertical plum tree branches punctuated with round pops of individual blossoms. It is a very attractive painting. One cannot help but notice Vincent’s curiosity of this exciting visual exotica that was overtaking France in his day. He wanted to learn how it was done. He did a wonderful job of Vincent dressed in a kimono.