A thorough exploration of the discourses on Japonisme that emerged in France from the late 19th to the early 20th century, placing them in the context of the totality of discourses of the time and exploring their dynamic meanings in their places of origin.
"Many previously unexamined discourses are considered here, and oft-quoted discourses are reconsidered in terms of their significance. In this sense, this book is an essential reference for those seeking to understand the language in which Japonisme was perceived in France.
Because of its methodology, this book does not discuss Japanese art and culture per se or quantify its influence on French art and culture, nor does it examine the intentions of artists such as Whistler, Degas, and Monet, all of whom are considered Japonisme artists. Instead, the author focuses mainly on criticism of writers such as Chesneau, Burty, and Goncourt. Rather than discussing Japanese influences, this book emphasizes that Japanese art found esthetic values in opposition to the norms of beauty established by academism. The book also mentions that, despite their common interest in Japanese art, the artists had delicate relationships with each other; each had a distinct attitude toward the society after France's defeat in the Franco–Prussian War.
The author abundantly describes the context in which Japanese art was considered in France at the time; many of these are surprising and new to Japanese researchers. For example, Hokusai's portraits of the human figure, especially in his Hokusai Manga, have been compared to Hogarth, Goya, Gavarni, and Daumier. Another under-considered facet is the Persian influence on Japanese decoration believed by some to be very strong; an unanswered question that arises here is that although there was certainly a Japanese influence of chintz, if Indian, was there any influence from Persia other than the ancient arabesque pattern?
From the early days of Japonisme, Japanese art was often referenced in parallel with ancient Greek art. Until the neoclassical period of the first half of the 19th century, ancient Greek architecture was considered "pure white" and adherent to strict symmetry, but at that time, it became clear that it had been "colored" and that its symmetry was loose. It is also interesting to note that the discovery in the mid-19th century of the colored nature and loose symmetry of Greek architecture provided an impetus for an increased appreciation of Japanese art, which favored rich colors and asymmetry.
The book's strict analysis method further limits the scope of its coverage. This is not a weakness of the book, however, and it is precisely because of this that a number of discourses are given due illumination. Sophie Basch, is a professor at the Sorbonne University, and her research focuses on French literature, particularly on the gaze abroad. Her book is full of the rhetoric and terminology typical of French literary studies and may be difficult for Japonisme scholars interested in non-French countries or Japanese art, but the merits of the book more than compensate for its weaknesses."
— The Committee on the Society for the Study of Japonisme Award
A specialist in literary, artistic and scientific Orientalism, fin-de-siècle literature and cultural history, Sophie Basch (born 1963 in Brussels) is a professor of French literature at Sorbonne Université.
