Some remarks concerning Polish Japonisme movement from the Modernist Era

Abstract

Polish Japonisme, i.e. Japanese art inspirations in the work of the Polish painters and printmakers of the early period of modernism (the late 19th and early 20th centuries). The article will present well-known Polish artists such as Olga Boznanska, Julian Falat, Wojciech Weiss, Leon Wyczolkowski, Satnislaw Wyspianski as well as Jan Stanislawski and his talented students. Juxtaposing works done by Polish artists of the Young Poland period with selected examples of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints and silk paintings (done by such masters as: Hokusai, Hiroshige and Utamaro) as well sculptures and artistic handicrafts, I will demonstrate this phenomenon seen from the 21century perspective. This new approach encourages the reader to make comparisons, to look – almost automatically – for similarities and differences between Polish and Japanese arts, and by revealing the clear and deep analogies between the two cultures, to engage in intercultural dialogue. Key words: Polish art, Japonisme , ukiyo-e prints.