Degas and the art of Japan

'Degas and the Art of Japan' explores the French Impressionist's lifelong fascination with the work of his Japanese counterparts.

This volume presents the intriguing and complex relationship between French artist Edgar Degas' (1834-1917) art and Japanese printmaking. The authors propose new links between some of Degas's characteristic themes, such as laundresses and horse racing, and the woodblock designs of Ukiyo-e masters. Fresh light is also shed on another signature trait of Degas -- his fascination with women in their public and private lives -- which is echoed in the prevalence of female subjects in Japanese woodblock imagery. Equally significant are revelations about Degas's access to specific Japanese prints belonging to collectors and dealers in Paris. Degas and his generation were captivated by Japanese culture: he assembled his own collection of Ukiyo-e prints and several of his friends were leading authorities on artists such as Hokusai, Utamaro, and Hiroshige.