Japanese mania in the art of the northern countries

HELSINKI. The unusual exhibition "Japanomania in the Nordic Countries 1875-1918" (Japanomania in the Nordic Countries 1875-1918) opened February 18 at the Central Art Museum of Helsinki (Finland) Ateneum.

The extensive exhibition, which occupies the entire third floor, demonstrates a combination of splendor and decorativeness of Japanese art and design, combined with gentle northern naturalism. The exhibition presents the works of artists such as Albert Edelfelt, Helena Sherfbek, Wilhelm Hammershoe, Edward Munch, Krog, Oda, Frida Hansen, Bruno Lillefors, Paul Gauguin, Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet. All of them at a certain period of their work were fascinated and were strongly influenced by Japaneseism. The exposition included more than 400 works of art and exhibits, 150 of which were leased by foreign museums.

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The discovery of Japan in the 1850s sparked keen interest in East Asian culture. Collecting Japanese art and decor items has become very fashionable among residents of Northern Europe. In the world of art, this trend was called Japaneseism and left an indelible mark on the history of fine art, design and popular culture. The influence of Japaneseism on Finland and other northern countries manifested itself later than in Central Europe, reaching its peak in 1889-1900. From the point of view of the inhabitants of the northern countries, Japan was something far and exotic - only a few of them actually visited this country and shared their impressions.

The features of Japaneseism are manifested in many paintings, such as The Virginians by Albert Edelfelt (The Parisienne, Albert Edelfelt, 1883), Claude Monet’s Manne-Porte, Etretat (Manne-Porte, Étretat, Claude Monet, 1885), and Wild Angelica Axel Gallen-Kallela (Wild Angelica, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, 1889). Along with northern artists, the exhibition presents paintings, drawings and art objects of European and Japanese artists.

“Japanism has led to the emergence of new processes and technical improvements in the art of the northern countries and Finland in particular. Aesthetic relations with the outside world have changed, and these changes can be traced not only in creativity, but also in the way people of art built and decorated their homes, ”says Gabriel P. Weisberg, professor of art history at the University of Minnesota and the main curator of the exhibition along with Anna-Maria von Bonsdorff, the main curator of the Athenaeum.

The exhibition was the culmination of a four-year research project during which the first manifestations of Japaneseism in the culture of Northern Europe were so deeply studied. After finishing work, the exposition set off from Finland to the national galleries of Denmark and Norway.

“Artists, writers and philosophers have always played a decisive role in introducing new ideas and phenomena. Today, the northern national galleries want to join forces in the search for new ideas for art in its own history. This exhibition and the extensive research project that preceded it are an important example of such collaboration, ”said Susanna Pettersson, director of the Atheneum Museum.

The exhibition will run until May 15, 2016. .

The paintings for this exhibition were generously provided by the National Museum of Queen Margaret II, Denmark; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Musee d’Orsay, Paris; Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA; Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam; and the Albert and Victoria Museum, London.

Anna Sidorova © Gallerix.ru