Here's something that people who aren't heavily invested in the art world might not know about. When Japanese art started filtering in to Paris in the 19th century, it had a profound impact on master painters like Claude Monet, Edgar Degas and, above all, Vincent Van Gogh. The Dutch genius never actually visited Japan. But thanks to the rounds he took of all the galleries in Paris that exhibited Japanese paintings, in-depth research, collecting prints and engaging in conversations with other artists, Van Gogh was able to recreate his own version of the Far Eastern country.

In fact, he later abandoned Paris for the south of France, since he was of the view that the region would be closer to what he imagined Japan to be. There, he bent Japanese influences to his will and defined himself as a modern artist with clear Asian predecessors. In that context, this particular influence on the master painter is of profound importance in studying his art.