Lecture 1999-01-25

Over a Century of Japonisme: Anything New?

Professor Marie-Therese Barrett

"Japonisme," or the influence of Japanese arts and crafts on the West, has been studied exhaustively for more than one hundred years. Is there anything else to be said? Recent exhibitions prove that this topic can still elicit the "shock of the new" and provoke animated debate on the true definition of the term. In a comparative slide lecture, Marie-Therese Barrett will distinguish between "Japonaiserie," the superficial fashion for exotic Japan, and "Japonisme," the deep impact of Japanese aesthetics on the West. Professor Barrett's topics include: two dimensional art; the revolutionary treatment of space; the emphasis on flat colored surfaces and decorative patterns; and the simplification of form and lines. She will take examples from world-renowned artists such as Whistler, Degas, Bonnard and Klimt, as well as looking at less well-known artists. Finally, she will broaden the field of Japonisme to include the 19th century Arts and Crafts Movement, Fin de Siecle Art Nouveau and 20th century Art Deco.

 

Marie Therese Barrett, M.A., graduated in Art History from Sophia University and the University of Maryland. She has been teaching at Temple University Japan for the last eight years, as well as lecturing to various groups. Professor Barrett has contributed many exhibition reviews to The Japan Times.

Edited from material submitted by Dr. Joshua Dale.