Japonisme
1881
Henri Somm perfectly captures the late 19th-century Parisian obsession with Japanese culture in this 1881 piece. A fashionable woman with a towering feathered hat dominates the foreground, looking very French, yet she is literally labeled 'Japonisme' and surrounded by traditional Japanese imagery. Behind her, figures in kimonos hold fans and lanterns, illustrating how Eastern aesthetics were sweeping through Western art and fashion. It’s a visual snapshot of a time when everything from ukiyo-e prints to tea ceremonies was the height of chic in Europe, heavily influencing the Impressionists.
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