Publication Date
2025
Document Type
Dissertation/Thesis
First Advisor
Evans, Sarah
Degree Name
M.A. (Master of Arts)
Legacy Department
School of Art and Design
Abstract
Landscape paintings of Barbizon painter Théodore Rousseau provide a unique perspective on the impact of Japanese artworks on nineteenth-century French painting. The examination of Eastern influences on Western art has been confined to Western urban popular culture, resulting in a narrative that restricts the understanding of modern art to the context of Western industrialization. This method of exploring cultural influences constructs a narrative of othering, confining the perception of its impact to the superficial and commercial, thus perpetuating an othering subnarrative, not only between the two nations but also between the different genres of Western art. Through an investigation into the availability of Japanese ceramics, lacquerware, and ukiyo-e prints through alternative methods of export, and the resulting public access to these items via exhibitions and private collections, a fresh perspective on the history of Eastern influence on French art emerges. By emphasizing the landscape paintings that the Paris Salon rejected, the influence of urban and popular culture is diminished. This enables a more in-depth examination of Japanese art and culture, which correlates with French landscape painting and underscores their significance as influential factors.
Recommended Citation
Stuart, Erinn Alexis, "The Influence of Japanese Art and Aesthetics on the Paintings of Théodore Rousseau" (2025). Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations. 8139.
https://huskiecommons.lib.niu.edu/allgraduate-thesesdissertations/8139
Extent
116 pages
Language
en
Publisher
Northern Illinois University
Rights Statement
In Copyright
Rights Statement 2
NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.
Media Type
Text
