Author Description

The Orient Expressed explores the cultural phenomenon known as Japonisme. First identified by French art critic Philippe Burty in 1872, Japonisme became a worldwide movement that deeply impacted the visual arts in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Among the works included are paintings and prints by Paul Gauguin, Pierre Bonnard, Mary Cassatt, William Merrit Chase, and James McNeill Whistler as well as decorative pieces by Gorham Manufacturing Company, Rookwood Pottery, and Tiffany and Company. Diverse objects illustrate Japonisme's steady evolution in Western art and provide enlightening information for readers interested in this phenomenon. A team of distinguished scholars sheds new light on diverse aspects of Japonisme and traces its chronological development and assesses its enduring implications. Essats consider the nature of cultural exchange and cultural appropriation, the role of gendering, the Netherlands' singular relationship with Japan, and the phenomenon's influence in Scandinavia.