To offer you even more information about the museum and Vincent van Gogh, and serve you better, we use cookies. By clicking ‘Accept’, you are giving us permission to use these cookies. Cookies help us to ensure that the website works properly. We also analyse how the website is used, so that we can make any necessary improvements. Advertisements can also be displayed tailored to your interests. And finally, we use cookies to display forms, Google Maps and other embedded content.
Find out more about our cookies.

Search the Japanese print collection

crépon

Seventeen prints in Van Gogh’s collection of Japanese prints are so-called crépons (chirimen-e ). These prints were produced on Japanese paper in the same fashion as standard woodcuts, but subsequently pressed. The resulting crinkled texture is reminiscent of fabric.

The majority of crépons were produced in Japan for the export market. They often depict flowers or birds , or other decorative subjects that were popular in the West.

View this artwork
View this artwork
  • Bright colours

    Lots of crépons must have been very brightly coloured, especially if you consider that Van Gogh’s prints have heavily faded over the years. The crépons were printed using modern Western inks that were imported in the Meiji period (1865-1905).

    Vincent van Gogh was particularly drawn to these brightly-coloured prints. He pinned nearly all of his crépons to the walls of his studio, and details such as the kingfishers feature in his own work with striking regularity.

  • View this artwork
  • Extremely decorative

    Van Gogh owned a few crépons comprising two separate prints joined together to make a single, longer print – so-called surimonos.

    These long, brightly-coloured prints were extremely decorative, so it is hardly surprising that Van Gogh hung these works in a series of his studios.

    Following his death in Auvers, one of these prints came into the possession of Paul Gachet jr, Doctor Gachet's son.

  • View this artwork

21 prints in 'crépon'

  • n0529V1962
  • n0530V1962
  • n0531V1962
  • n0532V1962
  • n0533V1962
  • n0534V1962
  • n0535V1962
  • n0536V1962
  • n0537V1962
  • n0538V1962
  • n0539V1962
  • n0540V1962
  • n0541V1962
  • n0542V1962
  • n0543V1962
  • n0544V1962
  • n0545V1962
  • n0548V1962
  • n0564V1962

Search the Japanese print collection