The Pseudojapanese in "Young Poland" Art
Originalveröffentlichung in: Artibus et Historiae 11 (1985), S. 137-146 TERESA GRZYBKOWSKA The Pseudojapanese in "Young Poland" Art Japanese art was for the first time presented outside Japan other cultures were considered as subordinated and secon in 1862 at the London World Exhibition, and then in Vienna dary 2. «The Oriental World » in the 19th century European in 1873 and Paris in 1878 with the cooperation of an mind was entirely a romantic and passionate dream woven outstanding connoisseur, Wakai1. To European artists it was of poetry, literature, and art, from the writings of Byron, a true revelation owing to its simplicity, frankness, and close Flaubert, Nerval, and Lamartine, and from the paintings of contact with everyday life, but also to certain subtle features Delacroix, Gerome, and Ingres. The Orient was associated which were not easily comprehensible. In any case, it gave a above all with Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Turkey, but also strong impulse to sweep out of the European house stale with Persia and India, as lands promising fabulous riches, academicism, historical motifs, or pretentious fables concern unlimited luxury, forbidden eroticism, and hazardous adven ing the East. tures. Such an imaginary Orient offered satiation of those Admiration and imitation of Japanese culture and art, desires which were stifled byChristian morality, and it also Nipponism, was born in Western Europe and was entirely a constituted a sphere of liberty mainly appreciated by artists product of Western thought. Primarily it was based upon and their hangers-on, who lacked creative talents but were tourists, not very numerous in that period, returning from these wealthy enough to make an art of life itself.
[Show full text]