Meeting of Asia and the Netherlands: On Van Gogh’s Challenge in Emulating Rembrandt

The essay grew out of an issue I had been pondering for some time and is attempt to gain insight into a secret Van Gogh was eager discover while comparing himself as artist with “Rembrandt, the magician”. convinced that art could succeed where religion failed. Moreover, there no need be directly connected Christianity system. For Gogh, in this frame mind, “Japan”, exemplified by genre ukiyo-e, such like, provided hope. Rembrandt, too, saw oriental not so much itself but method expressing one’s innermost feelings were still lacking European art, were, moreover, understood source inspiration creation new, ideal form human compassion. Similarly, Gogh's distilled more essential his from ukiyo-e gradually deepened became internalized. Therefore, something he shared Rembrandt related him closely apparent work Old Master.