Japonaiserie: Flowering Plum Tree (after Hiroshige)

Catalogue numbers: F 371, JH 1296.

Back in Antwerp, van Gogh had already been decorating his walls with prints of the Ukiyoye (Popular) School. These scenes of everyday life were sold cheaply in thousands by a growing number of western dealers in Japanese work. From time to time there would be an Ukiyoye masterpiece by Hokusai, Hiroshige or Utamaro among these prints of woodcuts.

In September 1887 van Gogh copied Japanese woodcuts. He tackled three Ukiyoye (Popular) School subjects, fitting them into his own repertoire by imitating them, two by Hiroshige and one by Kesai Eisen.