À propos de l’œuvre
Japanese: Courtesan after Eisen, par Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh · October -November 1887 · Paris, France
Japanese: Courtesan after EisenReproduction of oil painting on canvas
A Japanese courtesan, dressed in a brightly colored kimono, stands out against a yellow background. Van Gogh enlarges a print by Keisai Eisen and surrounds it with lush decor of bamboo, water lilies, cranes and frogs.
Look at the work
A Japanese print transformed by painting
The figure occupies the entire height of the central panel. Its patterned kimono, elaborate hairstyle and knotted obi on the front signal a courtesan. Around it, the large green frame functions as a second image where water, plants and animals overlap.
Van Gogh takes an engraving by Keisai Eisen reproduced on the cover of the magazine Paris Illustrated in 1886. He transfers the model using a grid, enlarges it then intensifies the contours and colors. The result is not one neutral copy: it was a Parisian interpretation of Japan that he admired.
The work reveals how Van Gogh assimilates the framing, the flat areas and the line of the print to renew his own painting.
Composition, touch and color
Three observations specific to this painting
The narrow format requires great precision in the central silhouette and a clear hierarchy between the kimono, yellow background and green border.
A monumental figure
The body forms a long S-curve and fills almost the entire panel. The dark outline isolates the courtesan as in a print, despite the thickness of the pictorial material.
A very built kimono
The flat orange, red, yellow and blue are crossed with distinct patterns. Their variety must remain organized to preserve the reading of the garment and the gesture.
A two-way border
Cranes, frogs, bamboo and water lilies evoke an imaginary Japan. The museum also recalls the French play on words linking crane and frog to the world of prostitution.
Documented benchmarks
Precisely identify the original work
The Van Gogh Museum preserves the work under the title Courtesan (after Eisen) and dates it from October to November 1887.
Keisai Eisen
The courtesan derives from a print by the Japanese master Keisai Eisen, known to Van Gogh by the enlarged cover of an illustrated Paris issue devoted to Japan.
A report to the grid
Van Gogh squads the reproduction in order to transfer the figure into a much larger format. Traces of this process are still visible in the construction.
Inventory s0116V1962
The canvas, painted on cotton, belongs to the Van Gogh Museum. Its catalog references are F0373 and JH1298.
Your reproduction
What the painter must preserve
The painter must maintain the graphic sharpness of the figure, the diversity of patterns and the saturation of the solid areas, while maintaining a visible oil material.
- The curve of the silhouette and the facial expression in profile
- The kimono patterns and the obi tied on the front
- The uniform yellow background bordered by a red and blue net
- The cranes, frogs, bamboo and water lilies in the frame
Work sheet
| Title | Japanese: Courtesan after Eisen |
|---|---|
| Artist | Vincent van Gogh (1853 -1890) |
| Date | October-november 1887 |
| Place of creation | Paris, France |
| Original technique | Oil on cotton |
| Dimensions | 100.7 × 60.7 cm |
| Inventory | s0116V1962 · F0373 · JH1298 |
| Conservation | Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam |
| Your reproduction | Handmade oil painting on canvas |
From order to shipping
In your interior
A vertical, graphic and intensely colorful work
Its slender format is suitable for an entrance, between two openings or above a narrow console. Yellow and green find a natural balance next to an off-white, midnight blue or earth red wall.
Frequently asked questions
Before ordering
Is this a canvas print?
No. Each reproduction is manually painted in oil on canvas. Brushstrokes and material variations belong to the final result.
How is the visual reference chosen?
The visual reference comes from the official IIIF image from the Van Gogh Museum, reduced to 3,000 px on the long side and converted to WebP without artificial enlargement.
Can I check the result before shipping?
Yes. Photographs of the finished painting are sent to you; you can request alterations before validating the shipment.
Are custom formats possible?
Yes. The format can be adapted to your wall while maintaining the proportions and balance of the original composition.
